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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. lean — thin
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. mate — to breed
  6. bear — the animal
  7. wound — an injury
  8. bank — for money
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. mate — a friend
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. bear — the animal
  17. lean — to bend
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. bank — of a river
  21. foot — a measure
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. wound — an injury
  24. mate — a partner

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