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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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. stand — to bear
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. mine — for digging
  5. staff — employees
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. lean — to bend
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. deal — to handle
  10. staff — a stick
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. staff — employees
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. present — there
  20. lean — thin
  21. present — the time now
  22. bass — low music
  23. present — a gift
  24. mine — an explosive

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