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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
468
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: can · safe · lean · fall · pitch · degree · leaves · mate

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. degree — an amount
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. can — to be able to
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. can — a tin
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. fall — to drop
  9. fall — the season
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. fall — to drop
  12. pitch — completely
  13. mate — a friend
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. lean — thin
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. mate — to breed
  19. degree — from a university
  20. can — a tin
  21. lean — to bend
  22. mate — a partner
  23. degree — temperature
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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