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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 124 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. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. roll — a list
  3. bank — of a river
  4. mate — to breed
  5. press — to push
  6. kick — in football
  7. bank — for money
  8. wind — moving air
  9. bank — for money
  10. roll — a cake
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. mate — a friend
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. mate — a partner
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. press — newspapers
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. press — a publisher
  20. lean — to bend
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. dip — to sink
  23. wind — moving air
  24. dip — a sauce

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