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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. bank — for money
  5. tear — from crying
  6. rest — a break
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. stand — to bear
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. bank — for money
  11. lean — thin
  12. rest — what's left
  13. rest — what's left
  14. tear — from crying
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. tear — to rip
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. bank — of a river
  24. lean — to bend

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