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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. lean — to bend
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. spring — a coil
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. sharp — clever
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. mark — a grade
  14. bank — for money
  15. spring — of water
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. mark — a trace
  18. bank — for money
  19. lean — thin
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. spring — the season
  23. bank — of a river
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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