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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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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: wind · suit · roll · lean · rock · rush · leaves · bear

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. wind — moving air
  3. rush — hurry
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. lean — thin
  6. wind — moving air
  7. bear — the animal
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. rock — a stone
  11. suit — to fit
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. suit — clothes
  15. suit — in cards
  16. bear — the animal
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. rock — music
  19. roll — a cake
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. lean — to bend

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