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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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. net — in sport
  3. cue — a signal
  4. bore — to tire
  5. cue — a hint
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. can — to be able to
  8. root — of a word
  9. mug — a face
  10. root — of a plant
  11. mug — a cup
  12. staff — employees
  13. staff — a stick
  14. bore — to drill
  15. root — the cause
  16. mug — to rob
  17. can — a tin
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. cue — for pool
  21. net — after costs
  22. net — for catching
  23. can — a tin
  24. coach — a trainer

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