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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. ground — the earth
  3. ground — crushed
  4. cap — a hat
  5. saw — the tool
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. cap — a lid
  8. bulb — for light
  9. staff — a stick
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. bulb — for light
  12. board — a committee
  13. firm — decided
  14. cap — of ice
  15. board — to get on
  16. staff — employees
  17. ground — a position
  18. firm — a company
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. lean — thin
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. staff — employees
  23. firm — steady
  24. saw — the tool

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