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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. court — of law
  3. face — part of the head
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. face — to point toward
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. stock — goods
  12. lean — thin
  13. court — of a king
  14. lean — to bend
  15. firm — steady
  16. firm — a company
  17. bulb — for light
  18. face — to confront
  19. court — for sport
  20. firm — decided
  21. stock — shares
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. arm — part of the body

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