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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  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. stick — a piece of wood
  2. staff — employees
  3. dip — to sink
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. suit — clothes
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. suit — in cards
  9. bank — of a river
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. lean — to bend
  14. capital — a city
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. capital — money
  17. staff — a stick
  18. staff — employees
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. bank — for money
  21. lean — thin
  22. suit — to fit
  23. bank — for money
  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