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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. stand — to bear
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. object — to protest
  6. lean — to bend
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. wake — a trail
  11. dip — to sink
  12. object — an aim
  13. lean — thin
  14. pit — a hole
  15. object — a thing
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. pit — in a race

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