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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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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: snap · wake · deal · rule · lean · race · bowl · leaves

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. rule — government
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. deal — to handle
  9. lean — thin
  10. snap — to click
  11. race — the arms race
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. race — humankind
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. wake — a trail
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. rule — a law
  22. race — a contest
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. lean — to bend

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