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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. bound — tied together
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. rash — a series
  5. suit — in cards
  6. suit — clothes
  7. chest — of your body
  8. lean — to bend
  9. chest — a box
  10. bound — obliged
  11. lean — thin
  12. pass — a permit
  13. foot — a measure
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. cap — of ice
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. cap — a lid
  19. chest — of your body
  20. rash — hasty
  21. bound — certain
  22. suit — to fit
  23. cap — a hat
  24. lean — to rest against

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