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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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. cue — a hint
  4. object — to protest
  5. swing — music
  6. staff — employees
  7. swing — in golf
  8. key — for a lock
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. key — the most important part
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. kid — to tease
  13. cue — a signal
  14. staff — a stick
  15. key — in music
  16. cue — for pool
  17. object — a thing
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. object — an aim
  20. kid — child
  21. swing — to play on
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. bay — a horse colour

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