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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. root — the cause
  3. swing — in golf
  4. bank — for money
  5. suit — clothes
  6. bank — of a river
  7. cap — a hat
  8. bank — for money
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. swing — music
  12. cap — a lid
  13. lean — thin
  14. cap — of ice
  15. root — of a word
  16. root — of a plant
  17. snap — to click
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. swing — to play on
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. suit — to fit
  24. suit — in cards

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