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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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. staff — employees
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. content — happy
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. lie — to recline
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. mug — a face
  12. capital — a city
  13. capital — money
  14. charge — in control
  15. content — the amount
  16. mug — to rob
  17. staff — a stick
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. charge — a price
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. charge — electricity
  24. mug — a cup

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