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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. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. game — wild animals
  3. race — humankind
  4. roll — a list
  5. staff — a stick
  6. race — the arms race
  7. mark — a grade
  8. mug — to rob
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. game — a match
  11. mark — a trace
  12. mug — a cup
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. roll — a cake
  15. staff — employees
  16. stem — to come from
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. rash — hasty
  22. rash — a series
  23. mug — a face
  24. race — a contest

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