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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  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. roll — on a roll
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. bank — for money
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. bank — of a river
  10. row — to paddle
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. bank — for money
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. roll — a cake
  16. plane — a tool
  17. row — a line
  18. band — a ring
  19. lean — to bend
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. band — a music group
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. roll — a list
  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