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

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. can — a tin
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. fork — in a road
  5. game — wild animals
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. game — a match
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. lean — to bend
  10. can — to be able to
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. saw — the tool
  13. lean — thin
  14. can — a tin
  15. bass — the fish
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. saw — the tool
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. bass — low music

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