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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 · pit · tube · straw · last · fork · leaves · board

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. tube — the underground
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. lean — to bend
  7. board — a committee
  8. last — to go on
  9. pit — in a race
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. pit — a hole
  12. lean — thin
  13. tube — a container
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. board — to get on
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. fork — in a road
  22. last — finally
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. last — final

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