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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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. lean — to bend
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. cue — for pool
  6. ground — crushed
  7. row — a line
  8. ground — the earth
  9. bank — of a river
  10. lean — thin
  11. bear — the animal
  12. row — to paddle
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. bank — for money
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. chair — a leader
  17. bear — the animal
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. cue — a signal
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. cue — a hint
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. bank — for money

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