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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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. club — for dancing
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. club — for golf
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. chest — of your body
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. rush — hurry
  13. rock — music
  14. chest — a box
  15. mark — a grade
  16. rock — a stone
  17. chest — of your body
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. mark — a trace
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. snap — to click
  22. staff — a stick
  23. club — a group
  24. staff — employees

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