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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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. staff — employees
  3. mark — a grade
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. mark — a trace
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. tube — the underground
  9. lean — to bend
  10. saw — the tool
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. tube — a container
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. lean — thin
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. saw — the tool
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. mine — for digging
  24. staff — a stick

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