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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 newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. staff — employees
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. staff — employees
  5. bank — of a river
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. foot — a measure
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. staff — a stick
  10. bank — for money
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. rest — what's left
  13. rest — what's left
  14. snap — to click
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. net — after costs
  17. row — to paddle
  18. row — a line
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. net — for catching
  21. rest — a break
  22. net — in sport
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. bank — for money

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