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

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. lean — thin
  3. lean — to bend
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. can — to be able to
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. bank — for money
  12. bank — of a river
  13. bank — for money
  14. can — a tin
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. stand — to bear
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. can — a tin
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. pass — a permit
  24. lean — to rest against

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