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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 120 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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. lean — thin
  3. rule — a law
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. bank — for money
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. foot — a measure
  9. band — a ring
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. pit — a hole
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. pit — in a race
  15. bank — of a river
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. rule — government
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. can — a tin
  20. band — a music group
  21. can — to be able to
  22. bank — for money
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. can — a tin

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