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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. pop — soda
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. lean — thin
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. pop — to visit
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. swing — to play on
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. prune — to trim
  18. swing — music
  19. fork — in a road
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. lean — to bend
  22. swing — in golf
  23. prune — to trim
  24. pop — music

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