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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. object — to protest
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. staff — employees
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. bore — to tire
  8. sharp — clever
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. object — an aim
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. charge — electricity
  13. capital — money
  14. object — a thing
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. stem — to come from
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. charge — a price
  19. bore — to drill
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. capital — a city
  22. charge — in control
  23. staff — a stick
  24. bore — gave birth

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