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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: hand · mate · key · file · lean · staff · mug · firm

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. file — a document
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. mate — a friend
  5. file — a line of people
  6. mug — a cup
  7. mug — to rob
  8. hand — in cards
  9. staff — employees
  10. key — for a lock
  11. staff — a stick
  12. lean — to bend
  13. key — the most important part
  14. file — a tool
  15. lean — thin
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. firm — a company
  18. mate — a partner
  19. mug — a face
  20. mate — to breed
  21. hand — help
  22. firm — steady
  23. firm — decided
  24. key — in music

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