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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: scale · leaves · stem · bulb · lean · object · rest · ball

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. rest — a break
  3. lean — thin
  4. rest — what's left
  5. bulb — for light
  6. scale — size or range
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. scale — in music
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. ball — a great time
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. object — a thing
  16. lean — to bend
  17. stem — to come from
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. object — to protest
  22. ball — a dance
  23. rest — what's left
  24. object — an aim

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