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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. ground — crushed
  5. bound — tied together
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. bank — for money
  9. bound — obliged
  10. bank — of a river
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. lean — thin
  14. ground — a position
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. ground — the earth
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. pitch — completely
  23. bound — certain
  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