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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: staff · bat · lean · bear · pitcher · plane · stick · firm

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. staff — a stick
  4. bat — the animal
  5. plane — a tool
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. firm — a company
  8. staff — employees
  9. bear — the animal
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. lean — thin
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. firm — steady
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. staff — employees
  21. bear — the animal
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. lean — to bend
  24. bat — for baseball

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