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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. lean — to bend
  4. rush — hurry
  5. season — in sport
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. spell — a short time
  10. rock — music
  11. rock — a stone
  12. spell — magic
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. season — of the year
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. spell — letters

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