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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. shower — to wash
  4. bank — of a river
  5. staff — a stick
  6. staff — employees
  7. tear — from crying
  8. bank — for money
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. tear — from crying
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. craft — a skill
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. shower — rain
  16. bank — for money
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. lean — to bend
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. craft — boats
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. staff — employees
  23. deal — to handle
  24. tear — to rip

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