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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. spell — a short time
  3. firm — decided
  4. swing — music
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. spell — magic
  7. bank — of a river
  8. spring — of water
  9. bank — for money
  10. firm — a company
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. lean — thin
  13. firm — steady
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. swing — to play on
  16. spring — a coil
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. spring — the season
  20. spell — letters
  21. rush — hurry
  22. swing — in golf
  23. fan — a supporter
  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