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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: content · sharp · saw · lean · leaves · stem · squash · staff

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. squash — to crush
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. stem — to come from
  5. lean — to bend
  6. staff — employees
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. lean — thin
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. staff — employees
  11. content — happy
  12. saw — the tool
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. content — the amount
  20. sharp — clever
  21. squash — the sport
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. staff — a stick

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