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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: jam · chair · temple · file · lean · wave · leaves · shower

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. file — a line of people
  6. file — a tool
  7. lean — thin
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. shower — to wash
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. file — a document
  13. chair — a leader
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. lean — to bend
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. shower — rain
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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