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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 works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. staff — employees
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. lean — to bend
  7. staff — a stick
  8. cap — a lid
  9. ground — crushed
  10. cap — of ice
  11. ground — a position
  12. wake — a trail
  13. cap — a hat
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. season — in sport
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. ground — the earth
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. saw — the tool
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. staff — employees
  23. lean — thin
  24. season — of the year

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