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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. cap — a lid
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. suit — to fit
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. staff — employees
  10. cap — a hat
  11. staff — a stick
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. staff — employees
  15. lean — thin
  16. suit — clothes
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. wake — a trail
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. lean — to bend
  21. suit — in cards
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. cap — of ice
  24. patient — a sick person

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