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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: stand · leaves · lean · mark · mug · ground · tear · arm

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. tear — from crying
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. ground — crushed
  7. mug — a cup
  8. stand — to bear
  9. ground — the earth
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. mug — to rob
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. lean — thin
  14. mug — a face
  15. mark — a grade
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. mark — a trace
  19. tear — to rip
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. ground — a position
  22. lean — to bend
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. tear — from crying

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