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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.

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: lean · can · land · leaves · cell · mouse · wave · ball

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. can — a tin
  3. lean — to bend
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. land — ground
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. can — a tin
  8. cell — a phone
  9. cell — in biology
  10. ball — a dance
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. land — to come down
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. can — to be able to
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. ball — a great time
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. lean — thin
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. land — a country
  23. lean — to rest against
  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