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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: lean · fork · leaves · foot · fall · staff · current · season

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. season — in sport
  3. foot — a measure
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. fall — to drop
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. season — of the year
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. staff — employees
  10. fall — to drop
  11. lean — thin
  12. fork — in a road
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. staff — a stick
  15. current — electric
  16. current — happening now
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. fall — the season
  19. lean — to bend
  20. current — of water
  21. staff — employees
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. leaves — of a tree

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