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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 office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. stand — to bear
  4. staff — employees
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. land — to come down
  10. object — to protest
  11. land — a country
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. object — a thing
  14. row — a line
  15. staff — a stick
  16. land — ground
  17. row — to paddle
  18. object — an aim

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