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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. lean — to bend
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. craft — boats
  5. key — for a lock
  6. staff — a stick
  7. key — the most important part
  8. key — in music
  9. cue — for pool
  10. lean — thin
  11. staff — employees
  12. staff — employees
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. cue — a hint
  16. craft — a skill
  17. game — wild animals
  18. deal — to handle
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. stand — to bear
  21. game — a match
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. cue — a signal
  24. stand — on your feet

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