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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 116 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: mine · leaves · wave · lie · shower · lean · rest · chip

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. chip — for betting
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. shower — to wash
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. shower — rain
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. rest — a break
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. lie — to recline
  16. mine — for digging
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. chip — to eat
  19. lean — to bend
  20. rest — what's left
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. lean — thin
  23. rest — what's left
  24. mine — belonging to me

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