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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.

Make a worksheet

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 · nail · press · lean · bat · club · court · perch

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. lean — thin
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. club — a group
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. club — for golf
  8. court — of law
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. press — a publisher
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. press — newspapers
  13. court — of a king
  14. perch — the fish
  15. club — for dancing
  16. bat — the animal
  17. press — to push
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. court — for sport
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. lean — to bend

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