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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 116 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 ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. kick — in football
  3. track — a path
  4. can — a tin
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. lean — thin
  7. can — to be able to
  8. track — a song
  9. scale — in music
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. lie — to recline
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. can — a tin
  15. track — to keep track
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. lean — to bend
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. bank — for money
  22. bank — of a river
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. scale — size or range

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