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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: chair · leaves · pitcher · mouse · key · lean · lie · rest

  1. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. key — in music
  6. rest — what's left
  7. key — the most important part
  8. rest — what's left
  9. lie — to recline
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. lean — thin
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. lean — to bend
  20. rest — a break
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. key — for a lock
  24. mouse — the animal

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