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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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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: mouse · lean · staff · trunk · pound · face · rest · pit

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. pit — in a race
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. face — to point toward
  7. lean — thin
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. staff — employees
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. rest — what's left
  12. pit — a hole
  13. staff — employees
  14. lean — to bend
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. staff — a stick
  17. face — part of the head
  18. pound — a weight
  19. face — to confront
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. rest — what's left

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