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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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. rash — hasty
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. mug — a face
  6. staff — employees
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. mug — to rob
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. mug — a cup
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. staff — a stick
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. mine — for digging
  16. rash — a series
  17. content — happy
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. content — the amount
  23. pass — a permit
  24. mine — an explosive

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