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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. bank — of a river
  3. rash — hasty
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. lean — to bend
  6. lean — thin
  7. bank — for money
  8. mug — to rob
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. content — happy
  13. fork — in a road
  14. mug — a face
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. mug — a cup
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. rash — a series
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. content — the amount
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. bank — for money

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