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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. last — to go on
  5. lean — to bend
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. swing — music
  8. bank — for money
  9. swing — in golf
  10. bank — of a river
  11. swing — to play on
  12. bank — for money
  13. last — final
  14. suit — to fit
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. lean — thin
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. sharp — clever
  19. suit — clothes
  20. last — finally
  21. pit — a hole
  22. pit — in a race
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. bowl — to roll

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