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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. press — to push
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. bank — of a river
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. deal — to handle
  9. press — a publisher
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. fine — high quality
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. bank — for money
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. fine — all right
  16. lean — thin
  17. bank — for money
  18. press — newspapers
  19. rush — hurry
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. sharp — clever
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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