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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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. bank — for money
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. charge — a price
  8. charge — electricity
  9. bat — the animal
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. suit — in cards
  12. row — a line
  13. charge — in control
  14. staff — a stick
  15. suit — to fit
  16. bank — for money
  17. suit — clothes
  18. row — to paddle
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. bank — of a river
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. stand — to bear
  23. staff — employees
  24. stand — for spectators

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