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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.

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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: snap · fall · chip · calf · leaves · lean · ball · rash

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. ball — a great time
  3. ball — a dance
  4. fall — the season
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. chip — to eat
  7. chip — for betting
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. rash — a series
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. fall — to drop
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. rash — hasty
  18. lean — to bend
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. lean — thin
  21. snap — to click
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. fall — to drop

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