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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 116 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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. chair — a leader
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. face — part of the head
  7. kick — in football
  8. face — to point toward
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. bank — of a river
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. staff — a stick
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. bank — for money
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. wind — moving air
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. staff — employees
  20. face — to confront
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. deal — to handle
  23. staff — employees
  24. wind — moving air

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