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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. kick — in football
  4. lean — to bend
  5. suit — clothes
  6. stem — to come from
  7. suit — to fit
  8. can — to be able to
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. can — a tin
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. scale — size or range
  16. scale — in music
  17. board — to get on
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. board — a committee
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. suit — in cards
  23. lean — thin
  24. can — a tin

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