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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  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. net — for catching
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. net — after costs
  6. staff — employees
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. deal — to handle
  10. suit — in cards
  11. suit — clothes
  12. staff — employees
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. lean — thin
  15. lean — to bend
  16. net — in sport
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. suit — to fit
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. chair — a leader
  23. lean — to rest against
  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