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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.

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: court · cap · pit · staff · fine · mate · rash · lean

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. pit — a hole
  3. staff — a stick
  4. lean — thin
  5. rash — a series
  6. staff — employees
  7. cap — a hat
  8. mate — to breed
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. court — of a king
  11. fine — all right
  12. lean — to bend
  13. mate — a partner
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. mate — a friend
  16. fine — high quality
  17. rash — hasty
  18. cap — a lid
  19. cap — of ice
  20. staff — employees
  21. court — of law
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. pit — in a race
  24. court — for sport

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