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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 120 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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. suit — clothes
  6. bear — the animal
  7. spring — the season
  8. court — for sport
  9. bass — the fish
  10. suit — to fit
  11. vault — a safe
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. lean — thin
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. court — of a king
  16. spring — a coil
  17. court — of law
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. suit — in cards
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. bass — low music
  23. spring — of water
  24. bear — the animal

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