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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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. bank — for money
  4. lean — thin
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. bank — for money
  7. capital — money
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. foot — a measure
  10. stand — to bear
  11. bank — of a river
  12. snap — to click
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. lean — to bend
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. pound — a weight
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. capital — a city
  24. capital — a big letter

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