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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. staff — a stick
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. fine — high quality
  6. face — to confront
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. rest — what's left
  10. rest — a break
  11. face — to point toward
  12. face — part of the head
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. hand — help
  15. hand — in cards
  16. scale — in music
  17. rest — what's left
  18. scale — size or range
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. fine — all right
  21. rush — hurry
  22. hand — part of the body
  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