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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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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: kick · chip · jam · lean · staff · net · bulb · leaves

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. staff — employees
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. staff — employees
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. net — in sport
  8. bulb — for light
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. net — after costs
  12. bulb — for light
  13. chip — to eat
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. kick — in football
  17. chip — for betting
  18. staff — a stick
  19. net — for catching
  20. lean — to bend
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. lean — thin
  24. bulb — of a plant

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