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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: coach · lean · rest · bank · mark · land · chair · cabinet

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. rest — a break
  4. bank — of a river
  5. bank — for money
  6. land — ground
  7. land — to come down
  8. lean — to bend
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. lean — thin
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. bank — for money
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. mark — a trace
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. rest — what's left
  17. rest — what's left
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. chair — a leader
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. mark — a grade
  22. land — a country
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. chair — a professorship

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