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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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. staff — a stick
  4. staff — employees
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. chair — a leader
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. mine — for digging
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. staff — employees
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. rock — music
  18. bulb — for light
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. fine — all right
  21. rock — a stone
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. bulb — for light
  24. fine — high quality

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