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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. staff — a stick
  3. staff — employees
  4. file — a tool
  5. file — a line of people
  6. pop — to visit
  7. charge — a price
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. pop — soda
  10. file — a document
  11. lean — to bend
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. lean — thin
  14. charge — in control
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. fine — high quality
  17. fine — all right
  18. staff — employees
  19. swing — music
  20. charge — electricity
  21. vault — a safe
  22. swing — in golf
  23. swing — to play on
  24. pop — music

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