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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  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. fall — to drop
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. fall — the season
  4. fall — to drop
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. lean — to bend
  9. current — of water
  10. branch — a division
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. current — electric
  15. last — final
  16. last — to go on
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. fork — in a road
  20. last — finally
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. current — happening now
  23. branch — of a tree
  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