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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 an ace ________________.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. firm — a company
  4. cap — a lid
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. track — a path
  8. lean — thin
  9. bound — certain
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. track — a song
  12. firm — steady
  13. firm — decided
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. bound — obliged
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. lean — to bend
  18. track — to keep track
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. cap — of ice
  22. cap — a hat
  23. bound — tied together
  24. arm — a part of something

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