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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. mark — a trace
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. ball — a dance
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. mark — a grade
  8. tube — a container
  9. lean — thin
  10. wind — moving air
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. wind — moving air
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. club — for golf
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. chair — a leader
  18. tube — the underground
  19. ball — a great time
  20. club — a group
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. lean — to bend
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. club — for dancing

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