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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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. pop — soda
  3. net — for catching
  4. cue — a signal
  5. object — to protest
  6. present — a gift
  7. net — in sport
  8. pound — a weight
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. present — there
  11. net — after costs
  12. object — a thing
  13. cue — for pool
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. pop — to visit
  16. object — an aim
  17. pop — music
  18. staff — a stick
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. staff — employees
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cue — a hint
  24. present — the time now

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