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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 office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. season — of the year
  3. court — of a king
  4. firm — decided
  5. staff — employees
  6. firm — a company
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. season — in sport
  9. rush — hurry
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. bass — low music
  15. court — of law
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. squash — the sport
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. firm — steady
  20. squash — to crush
  21. staff — a stick
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. bass — the fish
  24. court — for 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