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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 124 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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. lean — to bend
  3. scale — in music
  4. drill — army training
  5. drill — a practice
  6. toast — bread
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. swing — in golf
  10. drill — the tool
  11. lean — thin
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. swing — to play on
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. scale — size or range
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. swing — music
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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