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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 120 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: tube · bound · staff · track · present · fall · suit · lean

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. fall — to drop
  3. suit — to fit
  4. lean — to bend
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. staff — employees
  7. bound — obliged
  8. staff — employees
  9. present — the time now
  10. bound — certain
  11. track — to keep track
  12. suit — clothes
  13. lean — thin
  14. bound — tied together
  15. fall — to drop
  16. present — a gift
  17. suit — in cards
  18. track — a song
  19. tube — the underground
  20. track — a path
  21. present — there
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. fall — the season
  24. tube — a container

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