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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. bear — the animal
  5. clip — a video
  6. bound — tied together
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. firm — decided
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bound — obliged
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. firm — steady
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. clip — for paper
  20. firm — a company
  21. lean — to bend
  22. clip — to cut
  23. bound — certain
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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