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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. bank — of a river
  3. file — a document
  4. bank — for money
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. fork — in a road
  7. ball — a great time
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. track — a path
  10. bank — for money
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. track — to keep track
  13. lean — thin
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. file — a tool
  17. track — a song
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. ball — a dance
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. file — a line of people
  24. ball — a round shape

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