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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: rest · mouse · lean · season · saw · plane · current · can

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. season — in sport
  3. plane — a tool
  4. can — to be able to
  5. can — a tin
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. current — of water
  11. lean — to bend
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. saw — the tool
  14. current — happening now
  15. saw — the tool
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. lean — thin
  18. season — of the year
  19. rest — what's left
  20. rest — a break
  21. can — a tin
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. current — electric

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