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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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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: hide · rest · root · leaves · lean · jam · cell · nail

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. root — of a word
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. rest — what's left
  12. cell — a phone
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. lean — thin
  16. lean — to bend
  17. root — of a plant
  18. rest — what's left
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. cell — in biology
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. root — the cause
  24. rest — a break

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