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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: plane · kid · bass · cell · staff · mug · can · lean

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. staff — employees
  4. kid — child
  5. lean — thin
  6. kid — to tease
  7. mug — to rob
  8. staff — employees
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. bass — the fish
  11. plane — a tool
  12. lean — to bend
  13. mug — a cup
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. bass — low music
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. can — a tin
  18. cell — a phone
  19. mug — a face
  20. can — to be able to
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. can — a tin
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. cell — in biology

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