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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 120 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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. vault — a safe
  3. lean — to bend
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. chest — of your body
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. bound — tied together
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. bass — low music
  10. bank — of a river
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. bound — certain
  13. pitch — completely
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. chest — of your body
  16. bank — for money
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. bound — obliged
  21. lean — thin
  22. bass — the fish
  23. bank — for money
  24. chest — a box

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