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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. bank — for money
  6. lean — thin
  7. pop — to visit
  8. pitch — completely
  9. bank — for money
  10. charge — electricity
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. charge — in control
  14. bark — to shout
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. pop — soda
  17. wind — moving air
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. charge — a price
  20. bank — of a river
  21. dip — to sink
  22. pop — music
  23. wind — moving air
  24. dip — to dunk

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