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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. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. suit — in cards
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. key — in music
  6. fine — all right
  7. spell — a short time
  8. spell — letters
  9. bank — of a river
  10. chest — a box
  11. bank — for money
  12. key — the most important part
  13. bank — for money
  14. key — for a lock
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. suit — clothes
  17. lean — to bend
  18. suit — to fit
  19. lean — thin
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. chest — of your body
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. spell — magic
  24. fine — high quality

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