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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. lean — thin
  4. can — a tin
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. can — a tin
  7. lean — to bend
  8. sharp — clever
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. can — to be able to
  14. bank — of a river
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. cell — a phone
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. deal — to handle
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. bank — for money
  22. cell — in biology
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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