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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. staff — employees
  3. season — in sport
  4. season — of the year
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. net — in sport
  7. staff — employees
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. bore — to tire
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. firm — steady
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. net — for catching
  14. firm — a company
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. net — after costs
  17. firm — decided
  18. bore — to drill

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