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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 old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. can — a tin
  3. pit — in a race
  4. bank — of a river
  5. staff — employees
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. bat — the animal
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. cue — a signal
  10. bank — for money
  11. cue — a hint
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. sharp — clever
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. cue — for pool
  17. can — to be able to
  18. bank — for money
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. pit — a hole
  21. can — a tin
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. staff — employees

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