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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. The water is too ________________.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  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. suit — clothes
  2. ground — crushed
  3. cold — the Cold War
  4. pop — to visit
  5. pop — music
  6. lean — to bend
  7. pit — in a race
  8. cold — not warm
  9. pop — soda
  10. bank — for money
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. suit — in cards
  15. ground — the earth
  16. bank — of a river
  17. ground — a position
  18. pit — a hole
  19. suit — to fit
  20. cold — an illness
  21. lean — thin
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. bank — for money
  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