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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 116 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: staff · object · lean · can · game · fine · bank · plane

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. fine — high quality
  3. object — a thing
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. staff — employees
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. lean — to bend
  8. object — to protest
  9. can — a tin
  10. lean — thin
  11. fine — all right
  12. bank — for money
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. bank — for money
  15. object — an aim
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. can — to be able to
  18. bank — of a river
  19. game — a match
  20. plane — a tool
  21. staff — a stick
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. can — a tin
  24. game — wild animals

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