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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. staff — a stick
  3. staff — employees
  4. bass — the fish
  5. stand — to bear
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. object — to protest
  8. bear — the animal
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. rush — hurry
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. craft — boats
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. bear — the animal
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. bat — the animal
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. craft — a skill
  21. object — a thing
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. staff — employees
  24. bass — low music

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