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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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. saw — the tool
  4. staff — employees
  5. swing — in golf
  6. swing — music
  7. shower — rain
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. key — in music
  10. saw — the tool
  11. shower — to wash
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. stand — to bear
  14. swing — to play on
  15. key — the most important part
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. staff — employees
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. rush — hurry
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. chair — a leader
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. key — for a lock

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