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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. wound — an injury
  3. wound — an injury
  4. root — the cause
  5. present — a gift
  6. lean — thin
  7. bank — for money
  8. lean — to bend
  9. rash — a series
  10. present — the time now
  11. bank — of a river
  12. present — there
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. bank — for money
  16. root — of a word
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. rash — hasty
  20. rush — hurry
  21. root — of a plant
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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