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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. lean — thin
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. pit — in a race
  5. lean — to bend
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. march — the month
  8. press — newspapers
  9. press — to push
  10. rash — hasty
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. march — music
  13. last — final
  14. march — the month
  15. rash — a series
  16. last — finally
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. last — to go on
  22. press — a publisher
  23. pit — a hole
  24. rash — on the skin

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