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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. row — to paddle
  3. lean — to bend
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. stand — to bear
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. staff — employees
  8. spell — a short time
  9. row — a line
  10. staff — employees
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. rush — hurry
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. rash — hasty
  15. spell — magic
  16. rash — a series
  17. lean — thin
  18. staff — a stick
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. safe — out of danger

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