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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. lean — to bend
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. mark — a grade
  5. season — of the year
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. season — in sport
  8. bank — for money
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. bank — for money
  11. mark — a trace
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. lean — thin
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. drill — army training
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. drill — the tool
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. drill — a practice
  24. ruler — for measuring

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