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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. bank — for money
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. suit — clothes
  5. lean — to bend
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. field — a subject
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. bank — for money
  13. field — for sport
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. bank — of a river
  16. lean — thin
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. suit — to fit
  19. lie — to recline
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. field — farmland
  22. suit — in cards
  23. bat — the animal
  24. lean — to rest against

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