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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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. present — the time now
  3. track — a song
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. cue — a signal
  6. cue — for pool
  7. present — a gift
  8. shower — rain
  9. lie — to recline
  10. shower — to wash
  11. staff — a stick
  12. present — there
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. season — of the year
  17. track — to keep track
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. track — a path
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. staff — employees
  23. cue — a hint
  24. season — in sport

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