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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. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. last — final
  3. ball — a great time
  4. lean — thin
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. club — a group
  7. last — finally
  8. club — for golf
  9. bank — for money
  10. ball — a dance
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. club — for dancing
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. bank — of a river
  16. staff — a stick
  17. last — to go on
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. staff — employees
  22. kick — in football
  23. lean — to bend
  24. bank — for money

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