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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: cue · staff · leaves · row · lean · bound · rush · ground

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. ground — the earth
  3. ground — a position
  4. lean — to bend
  5. cue — for pool
  6. lean — thin
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. bound — tied together
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. cue — a hint
  11. bound — obliged
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. staff — employees
  14. bound — certain
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. staff — a stick
  17. rush — hurry
  18. row — to paddle
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. ground — crushed
  21. cue — a signal
  22. staff — employees
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. row — a quarrel

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