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

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. rule — government
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. rule — a law
  7. ground — a position
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. key — for a lock
  11. ground — crushed
  12. key — in music
  13. branch — a division
  14. plane — a tool
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. key — the most important part
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. ground — the earth
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. lean — thin

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