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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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. staff — employees
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. net — after costs
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. lean — thin
  11. bear — the animal
  12. staff — a stick
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. bear — the animal
  16. lean — to bend
  17. pass — a permit
  18. deal — to handle
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. net — in sport
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. net — for catching
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. bat — the animal

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