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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. bank — for money
  4. lean — thin
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. bank — for money
  8. object — a thing
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. rest — a break
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. bank — of a river
  13. wake — a trail
  14. dip — to sink
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. rest — what's left
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. mine — for digging
  21. object — an aim
  22. rest — what's left
  23. object — to protest
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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