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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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. jam — a tight spot
  4. can — to be able to
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. wake — a trail
  8. can — a tin
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. ball — a dance
  13. bulb — for light
  14. net — for catching
  15. stock — shares
  16. bulb — for light
  17. ball — a great time
  18. lean — thin
  19. can — a tin
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. net — in sport
  23. net — after costs
  24. stock — goods

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