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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 120 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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. wind — moving air
  3. bank — of a river
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. bank — for money
  7. chair — a leader
  8. rock — music
  9. prune — to trim
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. pass — a permit
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. bank — for money
  14. wind — moving air
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. rock — a stone
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. prune — to trim
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. wind — to turn a key

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