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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: charge · face · spring · lean · arm · spell · bay · bank

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. bank — for money
  3. charge — a price
  4. bank — of a river
  5. spring — of water
  6. face — part of the head
  7. bank — for money
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. spell — magic
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. face — to point toward
  13. charge — electricity
  14. lean — thin
  15. spring — the season
  16. spell — a short time
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. charge — in control
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. face — to confront
  21. spring — a coil
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. spell — letters

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