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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 120 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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. staff — employees
  5. root — of a word
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. content — happy
  9. rule — government
  10. staff — a stick
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. root — the cause
  18. root — of a plant
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. sharp — clever
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. rule — a law
  24. content — the amount

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