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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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. staff — a stick
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. foot — a measure
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. staff — employees
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. wound — an injury
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. toast — bread
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. rock — music
  17. bear — the animal
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. bear — the animal
  20. wound — an injury
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. rock — a stone
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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