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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. bank — for money
  3. row — to paddle
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. row — a line
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. march — music
  10. hand — help
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. shower — rain
  13. lean — to bend
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. march — the month
  16. bank — of a river
  17. shower — to wash
  18. march — the month
  19. lean — thin
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. hand — in cards
  23. stand — to bear
  24. bank — for money

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