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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. bound — certain
  4. root — of a plant
  5. root — of a word
  6. bank — for money
  7. tear — to rip
  8. wax — to grow
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. lean — to bend
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. tear — from crying
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. bank — of a river
  16. vault — a safe
  17. bound — tied together
  18. bank — for money
  19. lean — thin
  20. bound — obliged
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. tear — from crying
  24. root — the cause

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