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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. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. rock — a stone
  3. lean — thin
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. lie — to recline
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. chest — of your body
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. pound — a weight
  17. chest — of your body
  18. suit — in cards
  19. rock — music
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. suit — to fit
  23. suit — clothes
  24. lean — to bend

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