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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 116 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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. staff — a stick
  6. bear — the animal
  7. lean — thin
  8. mug — a cup
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. saw — the tool
  11. saw — the tool
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mug — a face
  15. bound — tied together
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. bound — certain
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. bear — the animal
  20. lean — to bend
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. staff — employees
  23. mug — to rob
  24. bound — obliged

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