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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 120 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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. scale — size or range
  6. face — part of the head
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. bank — for money
  9. face — to point toward
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. scale — in music
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. bank — for money
  17. bank — of a river
  18. face — to confront
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. lean — to bend
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. plane — a tool

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