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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  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. bank — of a river
  2. lean — to bend
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. cap — a lid
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. scale — in music
  7. net — for catching
  8. bank — for money
  9. scale — size or range
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. bound — obliged
  12. cap — of ice
  13. field — for sport
  14. field — farmland
  15. bound — tied together
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. net — in sport
  18. field — a subject
  19. bound — certain
  20. bank — for money
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. net — after costs
  23. cap — a hat
  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