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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. ground — the earth
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. face — part of the head
  5. ground — crushed
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. ground — a position
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. track — a path
  12. season — in sport
  13. track — to keep track
  14. face — to confront
  15. season — of the year
  16. bank — for money
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. lean — to bend
  19. bank — of a river
  20. track — a song
  21. face — to point toward
  22. bank — for money
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. arm — part of the body

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