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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. staff — employees
  4. object — to protest
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. object — an aim
  7. track — a song
  8. track — a path
  9. bound — obliged
  10. track — to keep track
  11. object — a thing
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. season — in sport
  14. bound — certain
  15. season — of the year
  16. staff — a stick
  17. cue — for pool
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. cue — a signal
  21. bound — tied together
  22. cue — a hint
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. season — to add flavour

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