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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. march — music
  3. lean — to bend
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. mine — for digging
  6. march — the month
  7. lean — thin
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. saw — the tool
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. bank — of a river
  14. bank — for money
  15. mug — a cup
  16. bank — for money
  17. saw — the tool
  18. march — the month
  19. mug — to rob
  20. snap — to click
  21. sharp — clever
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. mug — a face
  24. mine — belonging to me

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