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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. cap — a lid
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. object — an aim
  6. lean — to bend
  7. bank — for money
  8. lean — thin
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. cap — a hat
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. cap — of ice
  13. date — the fruit
  14. fine — all right
  15. bank — of a river
  16. object — a thing
  17. fine — high quality
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. present — the time now
  21. present — there
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. bank — for money
  24. present — a gift

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