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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 120 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 don't need to ________________ round.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. pop — to visit
  3. lean — thin
  4. staff — employees
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. mark — a grade
  10. board — a committee
  11. staff — a stick
  12. pop — soda
  13. suit — to fit
  14. dip — to sink
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. mark — a trace
  20. board — to get on
  21. pop — music
  22. lean — to bend
  23. suit — clothes
  24. suit — in cards

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