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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. stand — to bear
  3. lean — to bend
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. lean — thin
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. rest — what's left
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. bore — to tire
  10. game — a match
  11. ball — a great time
  12. ball — a dance
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. rest — what's left
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. bore — to drill
  20. game — wild animals
  21. rest — a break
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. stand — for spectators

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