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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. bank — for money
  3. lean — to bend
  4. plane — a tool
  5. fine — all right
  6. ball — a great time
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. bank — of a river
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. saw — the tool
  14. bank — for money
  15. saw — the tool
  16. fine — high quality
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. ball — a dance
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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