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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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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: staff · fall · snap · lean · chip · pass · racket · board

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. board — to get on
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. chip — to eat
  5. board — a committee
  6. fall — the season
  7. pass — a permit
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. staff — employees
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. chip — for betting
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. fall — to drop
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. staff — a stick
  17. snap — to click
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. staff — employees
  20. lean — to bend
  21. lean — thin
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. fall — to drop
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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