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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.

Make a worksheet

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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. lean — to bend
  4. mine — for digging
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. rush — hurry
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. lean — thin
  12. foot — a measure
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. charge — a price
  15. charge — electricity
  16. charge — in control
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. leaves — of a tree

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