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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: mate · leaves · spring · fall · chip · lash · suit · lean

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. lean — thin
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. mate — a friend
  6. chip — to eat
  7. spring — a coil
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. spring — of water
  12. mate — a partner
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. fall — the season
  15. suit — to fit
  16. fall — to drop
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. suit — in cards
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. suit — clothes
  21. spring — the season
  22. fall — to drop
  23. lean — to bend
  24. chip — for betting

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