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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. object — a thing
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. deal — to handle
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. face — to confront
  11. bear — the animal
  12. lean — thin
  13. fork — in a road
  14. bear — the animal
  15. lean — to bend
  16. bulb — for light
  17. face — part of the head
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. face — to point toward
  21. bulb — for light
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. dip — to sink
  24. object — an aim

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