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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. foot — a measure
  4. fine — all right
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. hand — help
  7. chair — a leader
  8. plane — a tool
  9. fine — high quality
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. hand — in cards
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. bank — for money
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. bank — for money
  24. chair — to sit on

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