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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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. face — to confront
  3. plane — a tool
  4. lean — to bend
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. march — the month
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. face — part of the head
  10. march — music
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. march — the month
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. face — to point toward
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. bat — the animal
  23. lean — thin
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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