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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: lean · game · pass · leaves · foot · racket

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. game — a match
  8. pass — a permit
  9. game — wild animals
  10. foot — a measure
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. lean — thin
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. lean — to bend
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. leaves — lets stay

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