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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: swing · cabinet · staff · toast · lean · game · leaves · last

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. toast — bread
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. swing — in golf
  5. staff — employees
  6. lean — thin
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. staff — a stick
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. game — wild animals
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. staff — employees
  14. swing — to play on
  15. last — final
  16. last — to go on
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. game — a match
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. last — finally
  24. lean — to bend

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