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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: lean · bear · cue · present · pass · stick · land · staff

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. staff — a stick
  3. lean — thin
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. land — ground
  6. land — to come down
  7. present — a gift
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. land — a country
  10. cue — a signal
  11. present — the time now
  12. bear — the animal
  13. lean — to bend
  14. staff — employees
  15. staff — employees
  16. present — there
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. cue — a hint
  21. bear — the animal
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. cue — for pool

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