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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. foot — a measure
  3. bank — for money
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. race — a contest
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. race — the arms race
  9. swing — in golf
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. prune — to trim
  13. bank — for money
  14. swing — to play on
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. race — humankind
  17. lie — to recline
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. prune — to trim
  23. bank — of a river
  24. swing — music

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