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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. bank — of a river
  3. club — a group
  4. present — the time now
  5. lean — thin
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. club — for golf
  8. land — a country
  9. land — to come down
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. bank — for money
  13. bark — to shout
  14. lean — to bend
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. present — there
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. bank — for money
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. club — for dancing
  23. present — a gift
  24. land — ground

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