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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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. can — to be able to
  3. lean — to bend
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. object — a thing
  6. object — to protest
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. staff — a stick
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. lean — thin
  12. can — a tin
  13. staff — employees
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. last — to go on
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. object — an aim
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. can — a tin
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. chair — a leader
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. last — final
  24. last — finally

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