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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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. game — a match
  4. club — for golf
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. staff — employees
  7. staff — a stick
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. mug — a face
  10. land — to come down
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. mug — to rob
  13. club — for dancing
  14. lean — to bend
  15. game — wild animals
  16. mug — a cup
  17. lean — thin
  18. club — a group
  19. land — ground
  20. land — a country
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. dip — to sink

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