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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: jam · lean · foot · kick · wound · drill · leaves · bowl

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. wound — an injury
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. lean — to bend
  8. drill — army training
  9. drill — the tool
  10. drill — a practice
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. kick — in football
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. wound — an injury
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. foot — a measure
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. lean — thin
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. leaves — of a tree

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