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

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. race — the arms race
  3. bank — of a river
  4. face — to point toward
  5. can — a tin
  6. last — final
  7. can — to be able to
  8. bank — for money
  9. race — a contest
  10. last — finally
  11. bank — for money
  12. lean — to bend
  13. can — a tin
  14. face — part of the head
  15. race — humankind
  16. last — to go on
  17. face — to confront
  18. lean — thin

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