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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. hand — in cards
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. bank — of a river
  6. lean — to bend
  7. hand — help
  8. capital — a city
  9. bank — for money
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. bank — for money
  13. capital — money
  14. scale — size or range
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. firm — steady
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. scale — in music
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. firm — decided
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. lean — thin
  24. lie — to recline

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