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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. season — in sport
  3. swing — music
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. kid — child
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. swing — in golf
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. kid — to tease
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. lean — to bend
  17. season — of the year
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. bound — certain
  20. bound — tied together
  21. bound — obliged
  22. lean — thin
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. swing — to play on

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