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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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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: stick · suit · last · present · land · dip · pass · staff

  1. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. suit — in cards
  6. suit — clothes
  7. land — ground
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. dip — to sink
  10. present — the time now
  11. present — there
  12. suit — to fit
  13. staff — employees
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. land — to come down
  16. staff — employees
  17. pass — a permit
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. present — a gift
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. last — final
  22. last — to go on
  23. last — finally
  24. staff — a stick

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