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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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. staff — a stick
  3. spring — of water
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. spring — the season
  6. mug — a cup
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. mug — to rob
  9. sharp — clever
  10. suit — clothes
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. suit — to fit
  14. staff — employees
  15. firm — a company
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. firm — steady
  18. wake — a trail
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. mug — a face
  21. spring — a coil
  22. suit — in cards
  23. firm — decided
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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