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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: fork · mug · staff · kid · lean · toast · snap · bay

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. staff — employees
  3. staff — employees
  4. staff — a stick
  5. lean — to bend
  6. lean — thin
  7. mug — a cup
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. snap — to click
  10. mug — a face
  11. mug — to rob
  12. kid — child
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. toast — bread
  15. kid — to tease
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. fork — in a road
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. fork — a garden tool

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