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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.

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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: nail · chair · firm · rest · lash · jam · pop · lean

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. pop — soda
  4. rest — what's left
  5. lean — to bend
  6. firm — decided
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. rest — what's left
  9. firm — a company
  10. rest — a break
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. firm — steady
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. pop — music
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. pop — to visit
  23. lean — thin
  24. chair — a leader

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