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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: degree · bank · present · lean · lie · pitch · rest · ground

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. bank — of a river
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. bank — for money
  6. lean — thin
  7. ground — crushed
  8. rest — a break
  9. degree — from a university
  10. degree — an amount
  11. rest — what's left
  12. present — there
  13. lean — to bend
  14. lie — to recline
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. ground — the earth
  17. rest — what's left
  18. present — a gift
  19. pitch — completely
  20. present — the time now
  21. bank — for money
  22. ground — a position
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. degree — temperature

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