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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 120 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 sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. bark — to shout
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. wound — an injury
  5. present — there
  6. tube — a container
  7. present — a gift
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. wound — an injury
  10. present — the time now
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. last — final
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. last — finally
  18. lean — to bend
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. lean — thin
  21. pitch — completely
  22. tube — the underground
  23. last — to go on
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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