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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. march — the month
  5. board — a committee
  6. lean — to bend
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. lean — thin
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. board — to get on
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. row — a line
  14. march — the month
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. row — to paddle
  17. march — music
  18. stem — to come from
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. ruler — a monarch

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