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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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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: pound · rush · mug · key · lean · coach · bear · object

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. object — an aim
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bear — the animal
  7. mug — a face
  8. mug — a cup
  9. object — to protest
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. mug — to rob
  12. lean — thin
  13. pound — a weight
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. key — in music
  16. lean — to bend
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. object — a thing
  19. rush — hurry
  20. key — the most important part
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. key — for a lock
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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