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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. march — the month
  3. staff — a stick
  4. suit — clothes
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. lean — to bend
  7. suit — to fit
  8. staff — employees
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. suit — in cards
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. lean — thin
  20. march — music
  21. march — the month
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. staff — employees
  24. trunk — of a car

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