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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. swing — music
  3. staff — a stick
  4. ground — the earth
  5. staff — employees
  6. ground — a position
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. ground — crushed
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. pit — a hole
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. branch — a division
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. swing — in golf
  17. lean — to bend
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. pit — in a race
  22. lean — thin
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. swing — to play on

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