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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: file · mine · lean · content · staff · plane · can · calf

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. content — happy
  6. lean — thin
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. file — a tool
  9. file — a document
  10. staff — a stick
  11. plane — a tool
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. staff — employees
  14. content — the amount
  15. staff — employees
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. can — a tin
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. can — a tin
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. lean — to bend
  22. mine — for digging
  23. can — to be able to
  24. file — a line of people

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