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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 120 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
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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: leaves · pass · lean · ground · pit · safe · game · foot

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. foot — a measure
  3. lean — thin
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. ground — a position
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. lean — to bend
  12. game — wild animals
  13. pit — in a race
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. pit — a hole
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. ground — the earth
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. pass — a permit
  20. ground — crushed
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. game — a match
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. pass — to succeed

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