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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. season — of the year
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. staff — employees
  6. staff — employees
  7. season — in sport
  8. pass — a permit
  9. pop — music
  10. lean — to bend
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. roll — a list
  13. pop — to visit
  14. staff — a stick
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. pop — soda
  21. roll — a cake
  22. lean — thin
  23. wake — a trail
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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