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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. bound — tied together
  5. prune — to trim
  6. current — happening now
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. content — happy
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. lean — thin
  11. bound — obliged
  12. bound — certain
  13. content — the amount
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. current — electric
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. craft — boats
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. lean — to bend
  21. craft — a skill
  22. current — of water
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. prune — to trim

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