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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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. chest — of your body
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. rush — hurry
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. ground — the earth
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. chest — a box
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. ground — crushed
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. chest — of your body
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. staff — employees
  19. pass — a permit
  20. ground — a position
  21. branch — a division
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. staff — a stick

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