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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. object — a thing
  3. prune — to trim
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. bank — for money
  7. rest — what's left
  8. object — to protest
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. saw — the tool
  11. saw — the tool
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. object — an aim
  14. bank — of a river
  15. lean — thin
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. bank — for money
  19. stand — to bear
  20. rest — a break
  21. rest — what's left
  22. board — a committee
  23. board — to get on
  24. prune — to trim

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