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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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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. root — the cause
  4. scale — size or range
  5. rock — a stone
  6. lean — thin
  7. rock — music
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. lean — to bend
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. cue — a signal
  14. cue — for pool
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. cue — a hint
  17. chair — a leader
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. root — of a plant
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. scale — in music
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. root — of a word

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