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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. firm — steady
  3. bat — the animal
  4. lean — to bend
  5. staff — employees
  6. staff — employees
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. staff — a stick
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. saw — the tool
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. lean — thin
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. saw — the tool
  20. row — a line
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. firm — a company
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. firm — decided

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