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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. root — of a word
  3. bank — for money
  4. rest — what's left
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. lean — to bend
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. rest — a break
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. rest — what's left
  12. lean — thin
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. root — of a plant
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. wake — a trail
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. bank — for money
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. lie — to recline
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. root — the cause
  24. lie — an untruth

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