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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 were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. lean — to bend
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. capital — a city
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. capital — money
  10. fall — the season
  11. fall — to drop
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. lean — thin
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. hand — in cards
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. rock — music
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. fall — to drop
  23. snap — to click
  24. hand — help

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