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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  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. lean — to rest against
  2. bank — for money
  3. land — to come down
  4. bank — of a river
  5. prune — to trim
  6. land — ground
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. pass — a permit
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. present — there
  13. lean — to bend
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. lean — thin
  16. prune — to trim
  17. present — a gift
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. present — the time now
  20. pitch — completely
  21. rash — hasty
  22. rash — a series
  23. land — a country
  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