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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. mug — a cup
  3. staff — employees
  4. firm — a company
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. mug — to rob
  7. shower — rain
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. board — a committee
  10. shower — to wash
  11. firm — decided
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. net — after costs
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. staff — a stick
  16. firm — steady
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. board — to get on
  19. net — in sport
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. net — for catching
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. staff — employees
  24. leaves — of a tree

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