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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. sharp — clever
  3. staff — a stick
  4. face — part of the head
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. hand — in cards
  7. staff — employees
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. staff — employees
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. land — to come down
  13. bank — for money
  14. land — ground
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. lean — to bend
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. land — a country
  20. hand — help
  21. bank — of a river
  22. face — to confront
  23. bank — for money
  24. lean — thin

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