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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. bear — the animal
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. staff — a stick
  7. bear — the animal
  8. staff — employees
  9. lean — to bend
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. snap — to click
  12. suit — to fit
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. staff — employees
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. lean — thin
  19. suit — in cards
  20. pass — a permit
  21. kick — in football
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. suit — clothes

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