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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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. drill — army training
  4. hand — in cards
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. drill — a practice
  7. mark — a trace
  8. hand — help
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. drill — the tool
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. mark — a grade
  18. spring — of water
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. spring — a coil
  23. lean — to bend
  24. spring — the season

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