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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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. file — a document
  3. staff — employees
  4. file — a tool
  5. staff — employees
  6. mate — a partner
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. key — the most important part
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. lean — to bend
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. mate — a friend
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. file — a line of people
  15. key — in music
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. key — for a lock
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. mate — to breed
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. lean — thin
  24. hide — to keep secret

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