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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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. suit — clothes
  3. rest — what's left
  4. staff — employees
  5. root — the cause
  6. bank — of a river
  7. suit — to fit
  8. rest — a break
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. band — a ring
  11. root — of a plant
  12. staff — employees
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. lean — thin
  16. suit — in cards
  17. rest — what's left
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. bank — for money
  20. root — of a word
  21. band — a music group
  22. bank — for money
  23. lean — to bend
  24. band — a rubber band

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