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

Word bank: lean · rule · race · present · object · firm · press · bay

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. present — a gift
  3. present — the time now
  4. object — an aim
  5. rule — a law
  6. lean — thin
  7. press — to push
  8. firm — a company
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. object — to protest
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. race — humankind
  13. rule — government
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. present — there
  16. object — a thing
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. press — a publisher
  20. race — a contest
  21. press — newspapers
  22. firm — steady
  23. race — the arms race
  24. firm — decided

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