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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. lean — thin
  4. dip — to sink
  5. rest — what's left
  6. rush — hurry
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. wake — a trail
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. rest — what's left
  12. fall — the season
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. rest — a break
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. fall — to drop
  19. fall — to drop
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. lean — to bend
  23. bark — to shout
  24. wake — before a funeral

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