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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: straw · scale · bank · firm · wave · leaves · lean · temple

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. bank — for money
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. firm — decided
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. lean — thin
  13. bank — of a river
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. scale — size or range
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. bank — for money
  20. scale — in music
  21. lean — to bend
  22. firm — a company
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. lean — to rest against

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