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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: fine · file · hide · rush · march · lean · leaves · dip

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. file — a line of people
  5. lean — to bend
  6. file — a document
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. dip — to sink
  10. fine — high quality
  11. rush — hurry
  12. lean — thin
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. march — music
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. fine — all right
  19. march — the month
  20. file — a tool
  21. march — the month
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. dip — a sauce

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