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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. suit — to fit
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. hand — in cards
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. lean — to bend
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. deal — to handle
  16. hand — help
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. suit — in cards
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. lean — thin
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. suit — clothes
  24. lash — an eyelash

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