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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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. foot — a measure
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. pitch — completely
  8. spring — a coil
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. rest — what's left
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. lean — thin
  14. rest — what's left
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. spring — of water
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. plane — a tool
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. spring — the season
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. rest — a break

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