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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 120 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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. stand — to bear
  4. land — ground
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. mark — a grade
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. craft — a skill
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. mark — a trace
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. land — a country
  14. land — to come down
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. lean — to bend
  17. lean — thin
  18. tube — a container
  19. deal — to handle
  20. tube — the underground
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. staff — employees
  23. craft — boats
  24. staff — employees

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