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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 girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. row — a line
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. wind — moving air
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. pound — a weight
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. wind — moving air
  11. row — to paddle
  12. bulb — for light
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. cell — in biology
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. bulb — for light
  20. staff — employees
  21. cell — a phone
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. staff — a stick

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