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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 hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. snap — to click
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. lean — to bend
  5. bore — to tire
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. stand — to bear
  8. mark — a grade
  9. bank — for money
  10. band — a music group
  11. bank — of a river
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. bank — for money
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. lean — thin
  21. bore — to drill
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. mark — a trace
  24. band — a ring

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