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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. rush — hurry
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. present — the time now
  8. deal — to handle
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. content — happy
  12. lean — to bend
  13. rule — government
  14. rule — a law
  15. present — a gift
  16. content — the amount
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. bear — the animal
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. present — there
  21. pass — a permit
  22. lean — thin
  23. bear — the animal
  24. pass — to spend time

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