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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. craft — boats
  3. present — there
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. lean — thin
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. lean — to bend
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. wound — an injury
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. wound — an injury
  14. swing — in golf
  15. craft — a skill
  16. present — the time now
  17. present — a gift
  18. fork — in a road
  19. pass — a permit
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. swing — to play on
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. swing — music

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