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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. stand — to bear
  3. last — final
  4. bass — low music
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. bass — the fish
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. last — finally
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. bank — for money
  14. bank — of a river
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. lean — thin
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. bank — for money
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. lean — to bend
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. last — to go on
  24. bark — to shout

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