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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 116 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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. saw — the tool
  3. scale — in music
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. mark — a grade
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. lean — to bend
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. staff — employees
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. staff — a stick
  16. mark — a trace
  17. scale — size or range
  18. staff — employees
  19. season — in sport
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. lean — thin
  23. saw — the tool
  24. season — to add flavour

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