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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. firm — a company
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. fork — in a road
  5. firm — decided
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. lean — thin
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. mine — for digging
  12. wake — a trail
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. firm — steady
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. pass — a permit
  24. lean — to bend

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