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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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. lean — to bend
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. bank — for money
  5. squash — the sport
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. bank — of a river
  9. present — a gift
  10. lean — thin
  11. mug — a face
  12. bank — for money
  13. wind — moving air
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. squash — to crush
  17. mug — to rob
  18. present — the time now
  19. present — there
  20. wind — moving air
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. mug — a cup
  24. jam — in traffic

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