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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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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: snap · board · mug · mate · firm · last · lean · staff

  1. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. snap — to click
  3. mug — a cup
  4. staff — a stick
  5. last — to go on
  6. staff — employees
  7. board — to get on
  8. mate — a partner
  9. firm — a company
  10. lean — thin
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. board — a committee
  13. mate — a friend
  14. lean — to bend
  15. mug — to rob
  16. staff — employees
  17. mate — to breed
  18. firm — steady
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. mug — a face
  21. last — finally
  22. firm — decided
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. board — a flat piece

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