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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. bank — of a river
  4. can — a tin
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. lean — thin
  7. kid — child
  8. ball — a great time
  9. lie — to recline
  10. bank — for money
  11. can — to be able to
  12. lean — to bend
  13. kid — to tease
  14. can — a tin
  15. ball — a dance
  16. content — the amount
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. content — happy
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. lie — an untruth

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