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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: bowl · staff · lean · object · saw · leaves · drill · fork

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. object — a thing
  4. staff — employees
  5. saw — the tool
  6. drill — a practice
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. object — an aim
  9. drill — the tool
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. object — to protest
  12. staff — employees
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. lean — thin
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. saw — the tool
  21. staff — a stick
  22. fork — in a road
  23. drill — army training
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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