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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: saw · bank · swing · object · hide · lean · bat · foot

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. bank — for money
  3. bank — of a river
  4. object — an aim
  5. lean — to bend
  6. swing — in golf
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. object — to protest
  9. saw — the tool
  10. foot — a measure
  11. lean — thin
  12. bat — the animal
  13. swing — music
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. bank — for money
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. saw — the tool
  20. swing — to play on
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. object — a thing

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