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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: lean · object · mine · staff · face · ruler · net · bank

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. object — to protest
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. net — for catching
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. bank — of a river
  7. object — a thing
  8. face — to point toward
  9. net — after costs
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. object — an aim
  12. lean — to bend
  13. face — part of the head
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. bank — for money
  17. staff — employees
  18. lean — thin
  19. mine — for digging
  20. face — to confront
  21. staff — a stick
  22. net — in sport
  23. bank — for money
  24. mine — belonging to me

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