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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. cap — of ice
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. band — a ring
  7. object — to protest
  8. pit — a hole
  9. bear — the animal
  10. lean — thin
  11. object — a thing
  12. cap — a lid
  13. band — a music group
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. pit — in a race
  18. cap — a hat
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. bear — the animal
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. lean — to bend
  24. object — an aim

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