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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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. ground — crushed
  4. chip — to eat
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. wake — a trail
  8. kick — in football
  9. suit — clothes
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. ground — a position
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. pass — a permit
  15. suit — in cards
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. staff — employees
  19. ground — the earth
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. suit — to fit
  22. chip — for betting
  23. staff — employees
  24. chip — in a computer

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