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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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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: object · leaves · mouse · last · chest · chip · current · lean

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. chip — for betting
  5. last — finally
  6. lean — to bend
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. last — final
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. last — to go on
  12. chest — of your body
  13. lean — thin
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. chest — a box
  16. object — to protest
  17. object — an aim
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. current — of water
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. current — happening now
  22. chest — of your body
  23. chip — to eat
  24. current — electric

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