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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
468
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: content · leaves · pitcher · lean · ruler · shower · chest · perch

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. shower — to wash
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. chest — a box
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. shower — rain
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. perch — the fish
  13. lean — thin
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. content — the amount
  18. chest — of your body
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. content — happy
  22. lean — to bend
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. chest — of your body

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