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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 116 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: staff · spell · fall · season · lean · rock · dip · nail

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. staff — a stick
  4. season — of the year
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. spell — letters
  7. fall — the season
  8. lean — to bend
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. lean — thin
  11. rock — a stone
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. spell — magic
  14. season — in sport
  15. fall — to drop
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. rock — music
  20. dip — to sink
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. staff — employees
  23. staff — employees
  24. spell — a short time

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