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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. saw — the tool
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. root — of a plant
  5. swing — in golf
  6. saw — the tool
  7. bank — for money
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. court — of a king
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. root — the cause
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. root — of a word
  16. rock — music
  17. swing — music
  18. court — of law
  19. bank — of a river
  20. court — for sport
  21. rock — a stone
  22. bank — for money
  23. lean — thin
  24. swing — to play on

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