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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's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. staff — employees
  3. lean — to bend
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. mate — to breed
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. board — to get on
  8. staff — employees
  9. rock — a stone
  10. mate — a partner
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. key — in music
  14. key — the most important part
  15. key — for a lock
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. lean — thin
  18. staff — a stick
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. board — a committee
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. rock — music
  24. mate — a friend

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