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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 keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. bank — of a river
  3. track — a path
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. lean — to bend
  9. lean — thin
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bank — for money
  13. bulb — for light
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. current — of water
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. current — electric
  20. rush — hurry
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. track — a song
  23. current — happening now
  24. bank — for money

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