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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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. staff — employees
  6. net — after costs
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. mark — a grade
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. prune — to trim
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. prune — to trim
  14. mark — a trace
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. wake — a trail
  18. vault — a safe
  19. net — in sport
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. pass — a permit
  22. staff — a stick
  23. net — for catching
  24. cabinet — ministers

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