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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. bank — of a river
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. can — a tin
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. can — a tin
  9. bank — for money
  10. bank — for money
  11. lean — thin
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. rash — hasty
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. rash — a series
  16. roll — a cake
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. roll — a list
  19. can — to be able to
  20. degree — from a university
  21. degree — an amount
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. degree — temperature

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