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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. track — a path
  3. staff — employees
  4. track — to keep track
  5. wind — moving air
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. season — in sport
  8. staff — employees
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. season — of the year
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. staff — a stick
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. lean — thin
  17. mug — a cup
  18. track — a song
  19. mug — to rob
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. mug — a face
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. wind — moving air
  24. lean — to rest against

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