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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. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. lean — thin
  3. rash — a series
  4. lean — to bend
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. mug — a cup
  8. rash — hasty
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. mug — a face
  11. chest — of your body
  12. shower — to wash
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. shower — rain
  16. ball — a dance
  17. cue — a signal
  18. pass — a permit
  19. cue — a hint
  20. cue — for pool
  21. ball — a great time
  22. mug — to rob
  23. chest — of your body
  24. ball — a round shape

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