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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. charge — in control
  8. charge — electricity
  9. rush — hurry
  10. branch — a division
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. object — to protest
  14. lean — to bend
  15. object — a thing
  16. lean — thin
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. charge — a price
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. object — an aim

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