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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 120 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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. chip — for betting
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. fine — high quality
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. foot — a measure
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. stem — to come from
  10. band — a music group
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. lean — to bend
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. band — a ring
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. fine — all right
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. chip — to eat
  23. lean — thin
  24. pass — a permit

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