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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: pitcher · net · rest · staff · lean · leaves · file · calf

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. staff — employees
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. lean — to bend
  7. staff — employees
  8. net — after costs
  9. lean — thin
  10. net — in sport
  11. file — a line of people
  12. file — a document
  13. rest — a break
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. rest — what's left
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. file — a tool
  18. staff — a stick
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. net — for catching
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. leaves — to go away

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