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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 office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. staff — employees
  3. mug — a cup
  4. bank — for money
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. mark — a trace
  7. staff — a stick
  8. cell — in biology
  9. bank — of a river
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. mug — to rob
  12. bank — for money
  13. pit — a hole
  14. wax — to grow
  15. mark — a grade
  16. row — to paddle
  17. cell — a phone
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. pit — in a race
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. mug — a face
  24. row — a line

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