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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. staff — employees
  3. lean — thin
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. suit — clothes
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. track — a path
  12. staff — employees
  13. suit — in cards
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. face — part of the head
  18. face — to point toward
  19. date — the fruit
  20. track — to keep track
  21. face — to confront
  22. suit — to fit
  23. staff — a stick
  24. track — a song

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