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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. bank — of a river
  4. bank — for money
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. content — happy
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. chair — a leader
  10. bank — for money
  11. pop — music
  12. lean — thin
  13. court — of a king
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. stem — to come from
  17. court — of law
  18. lean — to bend
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. pop — soda
  22. pop — to visit
  23. court — for sport
  24. content — the amount

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