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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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. vault — a safe
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. mug — a face
  6. content — the amount
  7. mug — a cup
  8. mug — to rob
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. rule — a law
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. cue — a signal
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. staff — a stick
  15. cue — a hint
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. rule — government
  19. pound — a weight
  20. staff — employees
  21. content — happy
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. cue — for pool

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