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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: fine · staff · mate · pass · bowl · track · lean · leaves

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. staff — employees
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. fine — all right
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. lean — to bend
  7. lean — thin
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. mate — to breed
  10. track — a song
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. mate — a friend
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. staff — employees
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. track — to keep track
  17. fine — high quality
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. track — a path
  20. staff — a stick
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. mate — a partner
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. pass — a permit

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