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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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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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. staff — a stick
  3. key — for a lock
  4. stock — goods
  5. stock — shares
  6. mate — to breed
  7. staff — employees
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. key — in music
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. mate — a friend
  15. pop — to visit
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. key — the most important part
  18. pop — music
  19. pop — soda
  20. squash — to crush
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. mate — a partner
  24. squash — the sport

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