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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. lean — thin
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. season — of the year
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. season — in sport
  8. bank — of a river
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. pop — soda
  11. lean — to bend
  12. bank — for money
  13. bank — for money
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. pass — a permit
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. pop — to visit
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. foot — a measure

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