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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 120 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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. key — for a lock
  4. lean — to bend
  5. key — the most important part
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. rock — a stone
  9. land — a country
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. bank — for money
  14. land — to come down
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. rock — music
  17. land — ground
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. bank — of a river
  22. bank — for money
  23. key — in music
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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