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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. lean — thin
  3. court — of a king
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. bank — for money
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. bank — for money
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. plane — a tool
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. branch — a division
  14. lean — to bend
  15. face — part of the head
  16. court — for sport
  17. snap — to click
  18. face — to point toward
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. court — of law
  24. face — to confront

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