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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 116 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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. file — a line of people
  3. staff — employees
  4. mark — a grade
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. fine — high quality
  8. mug — a cup
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. mug — a face
  11. staff — a stick
  12. file — a document
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. fine — all right
  15. mug — to rob
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. mark — a trace
  18. shower — rain
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. shower — to wash
  22. file — a tool
  23. perch — the fish
  24. lie — to recline

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