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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 120 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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. file — a line of people
  6. bank — for money
  7. wind — moving air
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. file — a tool
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. bank — for money
  16. file — a document
  17. bank — of a river
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. wind — moving air
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. kick — in football
  24. kick — a thrill

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