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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: straw · staff · nail · pass · rock · lean · stem · deal

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. stem — to come from
  3. lean — thin
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. staff — employees
  9. rock — a stone
  10. lean — to bend
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. staff — employees
  13. staff — a stick
  14. rock — music
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. deal — to handle
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. pass — a permit
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. straw — dry grass

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