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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. key — for a lock
  3. lean — to bend
  4. rule — government
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. lean — thin
  8. game — a match
  9. staff — a stick
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. mug — a cup
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. key — the most important part
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. game — wild animals
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. staff — employees
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. mug — a face
  21. staff — employees
  22. rule — a law
  23. key — in music
  24. mug — to rob

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