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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 124 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 ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. season — of the year
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. craft — boats
  8. lean — to bend
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. fall — to drop
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. fall — to drop
  13. content — the amount
  14. content — happy
  15. bank — for money
  16. lean — thin
  17. fall — the season
  18. craft — a skill
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. season — in sport
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. bank — of a river
  23. bank — for money
  24. content — videos and posts

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