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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 was a fun ________________.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. face — to point toward
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. bank — of a river
  6. fall — to drop
  7. face — to confront
  8. bear — the animal
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. game — wild animals
  11. bank — for money
  12. fall — to drop
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. root — of a word
  15. root — the cause
  16. lean — to bend
  17. lean — thin
  18. root — of a plant
  19. bank — for money
  20. bear — the animal
  21. stand — to bear
  22. face — part of the head
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. fall — the season

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