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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. suit — clothes
  3. bound — tied together
  4. bound — obliged
  5. chair — a leader
  6. staff — a stick
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. land — a country
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. staff — employees
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. bound — certain
  15. suit — to fit
  16. suit — in cards
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. snap — to click
  21. land — ground
  22. land — to come down
  23. wax — to grow
  24. wax — in the ear

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