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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. field — for sport
  4. lean — thin
  5. key — the most important part
  6. rest — what's left
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. bank — for money
  9. lean — to bend
  10. stock — goods
  11. bank — of a river
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. dip — to sink
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. field — a subject
  16. key — in music
  17. field — farmland
  18. stand — to bear
  19. stock — shares
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. rest — what's left
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. bank — for money
  24. key — for a lock

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