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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: lean · leaves · stand · key · tube · wave · kid · bay

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. kid — to tease
  5. key — in music
  6. lean — to bend
  7. tube — a container
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. tube — the underground
  13. key — the most important part
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. lean — thin
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. stand — to bear
  21. kid — child
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. key — for a lock

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