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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 124 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 old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. staff — a stick
  3. mark — a trace
  4. mark — a grade
  5. staff — employees
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. saw — the tool
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. stock — goods
  16. saw — the tool
  17. stock — shares
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. plane — a tool
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. stock — a soup base

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