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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 120 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. staff — employees
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. band — a music group
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. mug — a cup
  7. staff — a stick
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. spell — letters
  10. spell — magic
  11. mug — a face
  12. dip — to sink
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. spell — a short time
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. stand — to bear
  17. staff — employees
  18. band — a ring

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