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

Word bank: band · kick · bowl · bound · face · rest · lean · bank

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. face — part of the head
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. face — to point toward
  6. bound — tied together
  7. rest — what's left
  8. band — a music group
  9. rest — a break
  10. lean — thin
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. bank — of a river
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. bound — obliged
  15. rest — what's left
  16. bank — for money
  17. bound — certain
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. lean — to bend
  20. band — a ring
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. face — to confront
  23. kick — in football
  24. bank — for money

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