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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. bank — for money
  4. lean — thin
  5. prune — to trim
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. bank — for money
  10. capital — money
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. bore — to tire
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. bank — of a river
  21. rush — hurry
  22. prune — to trim
  23. bore — to drill
  24. capital — a city

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