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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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. staff — employees
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. chip — for betting
  8. staff — a stick
  9. chip — to eat
  10. staff — employees
  11. bore — to drill
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. bore — to tire
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. lean — to bend
  16. pitch — completely
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. fan — a supporter

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