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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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: deal · lean · track · spring · bay · fine · leaves · ruler

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. spring — a coil
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. deal — to handle
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. fine — high quality
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. track — a song
  14. track — to keep track
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. track — a path
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. spring — of water
  19. fine — all right
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. spring — the season
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. lean — to bend
  24. leaves — of a tree

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