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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. cue — a signal
  4. firm — steady
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. mine — for digging
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. staff — employees
  10. cue — a hint
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. board — to get on
  14. firm — decided
  15. wake — a trail
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. staff — a stick
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. board — a committee
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. cue — for pool
  24. firm — a company

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