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

Word bank: row · club · suit · staff · mug · land · object · mate

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. staff — a stick
  3. staff — employees
  4. suit — to fit
  5. mug — a face
  6. land — a country
  7. mate — a partner
  8. land — ground
  9. mug — a cup
  10. club — for golf
  11. suit — clothes
  12. land — to come down
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. mate — a friend
  15. club — a group
  16. club — for dancing
  17. mug — to rob
  18. row — to paddle
  19. row — a line
  20. object — an aim
  21. staff — employees
  22. object — a thing
  23. mate — to breed
  24. suit — in cards

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