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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. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. lean — to bend
  3. wound — an injury
  4. staff — employees
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. plane — a tool
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. staff — a stick
  11. firm — a company
  12. mug — a cup
  13. lean — thin
  14. court — for sport
  15. wound — an injury
  16. court — of a king
  17. firm — decided
  18. court — of law
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. mug — a face
  21. firm — steady
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. mug — to rob
  24. staff — employees

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