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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.

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: leaves · plane · suit · saw · fine · degree · rash · lean

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. lean — to bend
  5. rash — hasty
  6. saw — the tool
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. suit — to fit
  9. lean — thin
  10. saw — the tool
  11. suit — in cards
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. degree — from a university
  15. degree — temperature
  16. degree — an amount
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. fine — high quality
  19. fine — all right
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. suit — clothes
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. plane — a tool
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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