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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. bound — tied together
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bear — the animal
  5. lean — to bend
  6. tube — a container
  7. bound — obliged
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. kick — in football
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. bear — the animal
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. wake — a trail
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. bulb — for light
  19. tube — the underground
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. bound — certain
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. kick — a thrill

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