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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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. net — after costs
  7. pass — a permit
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. net — in sport
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. fall — the season
  14. charge — in control
  15. staff — employees
  16. net — for catching
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. charge — electricity
  19. bulb — for light
  20. charge — a price
  21. fall — to drop
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. staff — a stick
  24. fall — to drop

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