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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 office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. mark — a trace
  3. rash — hasty
  4. staff — a stick
  5. rash — a series
  6. mark — a grade
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. rest — a break
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. rest — what's left
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. clip — for paper
  17. clip — a video
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. rest — what's left
  20. staff — employees
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. clip — to cut

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