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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: leaves · lean · bowl · squash · mug · pit · nail · saw

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. lean — to bend
  3. squash — to crush
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. mug — to rob
  10. saw — the tool
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. pit — in a race
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. lean — thin
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. saw — the tool
  17. mug — a cup
  18. mug — a face
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. pit — a hole

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