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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. lean — to bend
  4. tube — a container
  5. tear — to rip
  6. pass — a permit
  7. tear — from crying
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. branch — a division
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. tear — from crying
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. tube — the underground

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