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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. mug — a cup
  3. present — the time now
  4. mug — to rob
  5. mug — a face
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. present — a gift
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. bass — low music
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. net — after costs
  12. net — in sport
  13. lean — to bend
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. present — there
  16. net — for catching
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. cue — a signal
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. lean — thin
  21. cue — a hint
  22. bass — the fish
  23. cue — for pool
  24. leaves — lets stay

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