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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 116 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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. race — humankind
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. staff — a stick
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. mark — a trace
  8. rest — what's left
  9. mark — a grade
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. staff — employees
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. rest — a break
  15. chair — a leader
  16. race — a contest
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. rest — what's left
  19. race — the arms race
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. bat — the animal
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. staff — employees
  24. hide — to keep secret

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