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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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. kick — in football
  3. rest — what's left
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. staff — employees
  8. band — a music group
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. prune — to trim
  11. rest — a break
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. band — a ring
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. content — happy
  16. rock — a stone
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. prune — to trim
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. rest — what's left
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. staff — employees
  23. rock — music
  24. content — the amount

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