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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. bank — for money
  4. rash — a series
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. ground — crushed
  7. rash — hasty
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. press — a publisher
  11. pit — in a race
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. pit — a hole
  14. bank — of a river
  15. ground — a position
  16. bank — for money
  17. lean — to bend
  18. press — to push
  19. ground — the earth
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. press — newspapers
  22. pound — a weight
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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