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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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. present — there
  3. staff — employees
  4. chip — to eat
  5. wound — an injury
  6. suit — clothes
  7. suit — in cards
  8. mate — to breed
  9. mug — a face
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. staff — employees
  12. lean — thin
  13. mug — to rob
  14. suit — to fit
  15. wound — an injury
  16. present — the time now
  17. mate — a partner
  18. mug — a cup
  19. chip — for betting
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. present — a gift
  22. mate — a friend
  23. lean — to bend
  24. chip — in a computer

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