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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. cue — a hint
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. drill — army training
  6. charge — a price
  7. season — of the year
  8. spring — of water
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. season — in sport
  12. charge — electricity
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. spring — a coil
  16. cue — for pool
  17. staff — a stick
  18. staff — employees
  19. spring — the season
  20. charge — in control
  21. drill — a practice
  22. drill — the tool
  23. cue — a signal
  24. season — to add flavour

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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