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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. lean — to bend
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. fine — high quality
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. object — to protest
  8. content — happy
  9. stand — to bear
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. lie — to recline
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. lean — thin
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. content — the amount
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. fine — all right
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. object — a thing

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