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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. bat — the animal
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. object — to protest
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. fine — high quality
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. lean — to bend
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. charge — in control
  15. object — an aim
  16. fine — all right
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. lean — thin
  19. object — a thing
  20. charge — electricity
  21. charge — a price
  22. branch — a division
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. coach — pulled by horses

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com