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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. staff — employees
  3. bat — the animal
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. staff — employees
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. suit — to fit
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. scale — size or range
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. bulb — for light
  14. plane — a tool
  15. scale — in music
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. suit — clothes
  18. mark — a trace
  19. suit — in cards
  20. staff — a stick
  21. mark — a grade
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. bulb — for light

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