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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: wind · lean · leaves · chip · land · suit · cabinet · net

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. land — a country
  7. suit — to fit
  8. chip — for betting
  9. net — for catching
  10. land — to come down
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. wind — moving air
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. lean — to bend
  16. suit — in cards
  17. suit — clothes
  18. net — in sport
  19. chip — to eat
  20. wind — moving air
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. net — after costs
  24. land — ground

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