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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 120 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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. can — to be able to
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. lean — thin
  7. staff — employees
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. fork — in a road
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. season — in sport
  14. lean — to bend
  15. season — of the year
  16. can — a tin
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. staff — a stick
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. rush — hurry
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. can — a tin

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