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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. face — part of the head
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. face — to confront
  5. firm — a company
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. bank — of a river
  8. bank — for money
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. face — to point toward
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. firm — steady
  14. kid — to tease
  15. charge — a price
  16. wake — a trail
  17. bank — for money
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. kid — child
  20. charge — electricity
  21. lean — thin
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. firm — decided
  24. charge — in control

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