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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. staff — employees
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. tube — the underground
  5. rest — what's left
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. staff — a stick
  8. tube — a container
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. march — the month
  11. staff — employees
  12. rest — a break
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. rest — what's left
  16. march — music
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. dip — to sink
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. leaves — of a tree

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