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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: lean · swing · bay · fork · pass · cell

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. pass — a permit
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. swing — to play on
  8. lean — to bend
  9. cell — in biology
  10. swing — music
  11. cell — a phone
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. fork — in a road
  14. swing — in golf
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. lean — thin

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