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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 soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. drill — army training
  3. bound — tied together
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. lean — to bend
  7. rush — hurry
  8. snap — to click
  9. pass — a permit
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. rock — a stone
  12. lean — thin
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. rock — music
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. bound — certain
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. bound — obliged
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. drill — a practice
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. drill — the tool
  24. pass — to spend time

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