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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. lean — to bend
  3. pound — a weight
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. ball — a great time
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. ball — a dance
  8. lean — thin
  9. rock — a stone
  10. spell — magic
  11. rock — music
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. rash — a series
  14. charge — electricity
  15. charge — in control
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. spell — a short time
  18. rash — hasty
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. charge — a price
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. spell — letters
  24. pound — for dogs

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