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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
468
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: fan · mate · staff · hide · capital · pass · lash · lean

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. mate — a friend
  3. staff — employees
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. capital — a city
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. staff — a stick
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. pass — a permit
  14. staff — employees
  15. mate — a partner
  16. lean — thin
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. capital — money
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. lean — to bend
  24. pass — to succeed

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