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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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. staff — a stick
  3. present — there
  4. stock — goods
  5. staff — employees
  6. present — the time now
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. rule — government
  9. stock — shares
  10. rule — a law
  11. lean — thin
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. present — a gift
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. rush — hurry
  23. lean — to bend
  24. rush — to hurry

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