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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: wind · spell · hide · bulb · wound · bear · lean · suit

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. bear — the animal
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. spell — magic
  5. spell — letters
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. wind — moving air
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. suit — to fit
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. lean — to bend
  12. suit — in cards
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. lean — thin
  15. bear — the animal
  16. wound — an injury
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. spell — a short time
  20. suit — clothes
  21. bulb — for light
  22. wind — moving air
  23. wound — an injury
  24. bulb — for light

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