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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: temple · straw · season · bass · leaves · foot · can · lean

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. season — in sport
  5. foot — a measure
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. lean — to bend
  9. lean — thin
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. can — to be able to
  15. can — a tin
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. bass — low music
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. can — a tin
  21. season — of the year
  22. bass — the fish
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. leaves — of a tree

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