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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 120 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 train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. staff — a stick
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. row — a line
  5. hand — help
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. stand — to bear
  8. hand — in cards
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. staff — employees
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. perch — the fish
  16. row — to paddle
  17. sharp — clever
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. vault — a safe
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. staff — employees

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