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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. lean — to bend
  3. mug — a face
  4. present — there
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. mug — to rob
  9. lean — thin
  10. staff — employees
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. staff — employees
  13. present — a gift
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. mug — a cup
  17. present — the time now
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. foot — a measure
  20. row — to paddle
  21. row — a line
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. staff — a stick
  24. vault — a safe

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