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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 116 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 · kick · ruler · racket · bear · suit

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. lean — to bend
  4. lean — thin
  5. bear — the animal
  6. suit — to fit
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. suit — in cards
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. kick — in football
  12. suit — clothes
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. 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