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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: pit · season · saw · can · lean · chair · leaves · straw

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. lean — to bend
  3. can — a tin
  4. saw — the tool
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. can — a tin
  7. chair — a leader
  8. lean — thin
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. season — in sport
  13. pit — in a race
  14. season — of the year
  15. saw — the tool
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. pit — a hole
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. can — to be able to
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. leaves — lets stay

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