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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 120 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: object · row · deal · season · tube · leaves · lean · straw

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. row — a line
  5. object — an aim
  6. tube — a container
  7. lean — to bend
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. season — of the year
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. season — in sport
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. lean — thin
  17. row — to paddle
  18. object — a thing
  19. tube — the underground
  20. object — to protest
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. deal — to handle

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