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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. sharp — clever
  4. staff — employees
  5. staff — employees
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. rest — what's left
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. mate — a partner
  14. chip — to eat
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. rest — what's left
  17. mate — to breed
  18. mate — a friend
  19. chip — for betting
  20. deal — to handle
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. staff — a stick
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. deal — an agreement

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