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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: mate · lie · rush · pound · mouse · bank · field · lean

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. bank — for money
  4. bank — for money
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. lean — thin
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. field — for sport
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. pound — a weight
  12. lean — to bend
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. mate — to breed
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. bank — of a river
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. lie — to recline
  20. mate — a partner
  21. field — farmland
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. mate — a friend
  24. field — a subject

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