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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: ground · stand · current · date · leaves · lean · last · rock

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. last — final
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. current — electric
  8. rock — music
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. ground — crushed
  11. current — happening now
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. date — the fruit
  14. stand — to bear
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. rock — a stone
  17. ground — a position
  18. lean — thin
  19. current — of water
  20. lean — to bend
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. last — finally
  23. ground — the earth
  24. last — to go on

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