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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. bound — obliged
  3. bass — the fish
  4. mug — a cup
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. bass — low music
  8. fall — the season
  9. mark — a grade
  10. bound — certain
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. bound — tied together
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. mark — a trace
  15. fall — to drop
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. lean — thin
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. fall — to drop
  22. mug — to rob
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. mug — a face

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