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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. staff — employees
  4. rest — a break
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bank — for money
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. kick — in football
  10. rest — what's left
  11. current — happening now
  12. staff — employees
  13. staff — a stick
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. bank — of a river
  16. current — electric
  17. lean — to bend
  18. current — of water
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. rest — what's left
  21. bear — the animal
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. bank — for money
  24. kick — with a leg

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