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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.

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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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. lean — thin
  3. bulb — for light
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. bear — the animal
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. wind — moving air
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. staff — employees
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. bear — the animal
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. wind — moving air
  18. staff — a stick
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. mark — a grade
  22. mark — a trace
  23. bulb — for light
  24. lean — to bend

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