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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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. present — the time now
  6. bank — for money
  7. bark — to shout
  8. lean — thin
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. present — a gift
  11. wind — moving air
  12. present — there
  13. wind — moving air
  14. lie — to recline
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. bank — for money
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. bank — of a river
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. lean — to bend
  22. pound — a weight
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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