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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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. cap — a lid
  4. cue — a hint
  5. plane — a tool
  6. wound — an injury
  7. cue — a signal
  8. wound — an injury
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. ground — a position
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. ground — crushed
  15. staff — employees
  16. ground — the earth
  17. cap — of ice
  18. cue — for pool
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. cap — a hat
  21. staff — a stick
  22. stand — to bear
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. rush — hurry

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