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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. ball — a dance
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. bank — for money
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. bank — for money
  8. last — final
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. rock — a stone
  12. ball — a great time
  13. last — finally
  14. bank — of a river
  15. lean — to bend
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. stem — to come from
  18. last — to go on
  19. rock — music
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. lean — thin
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. cabinet — ministers

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