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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 116 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: rest · calf · bank · fork · lie · lean · last · rush

  1. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  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. last — finally
  2. fork — in a road
  3. lean — to bend
  4. bank — of a river
  5. bank — for money
  6. last — to go on
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. rest — a break
  9. lie — to recline
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. rest — what's left
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. rest — what's left
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. bank — for money
  21. rush — hurry
  22. lean — thin
  23. last — final
  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