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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. lean — to bend
  4. drill — the tool
  5. perch — the fish
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. object — a thing
  8. object — an aim
  9. rock — a stone
  10. object — to protest
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. drill — army training
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. snap — to click
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. drill — a practice
  19. board — to get on
  20. board — a committee
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. rock — music
  24. board — a flat piece

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