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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: staff · safe · lean · fall · coach · rest · spring · season

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. spring — a coil
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. rest — what's left
  5. staff — a stick
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. rest — what's left
  9. fall — the season
  10. fall — to drop
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. spring — the season
  13. lean — thin
  14. spring — of water
  15. fall — to drop
  16. season — of the year
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. lean — to bend
  19. season — in sport
  20. staff — employees
  21. staff — employees
  22. rest — a break
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. safe — out of danger

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