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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'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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. bank — for money
  4. ball — a dance
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. court — for sport
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. mark — a trace
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. mark — a grade
  12. lie — to recline
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. lean — to bend
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. lean — thin
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. court — of a king
  19. court — of law
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. bank — for money
  22. ball — a great time
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. mark — to pay attention

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