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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: tube · row · bank · jam · spell · chest · lean · leaves

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. tube — a container
  4. row — to paddle
  5. tube — the underground
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. spell — letters
  8. chest — a box
  9. chest — of your body
  10. chest — of your body
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. spell — a short time
  13. bank — of a river
  14. lean — to bend
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. bank — for money
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. row — a line
  21. bank — for money
  22. spell — magic
  23. lean — thin
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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