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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 ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. net — in sport
  3. board — a committee
  4. rush — hurry
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. staff — a stick
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. squash — the sport
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. board — to get on
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. net — for catching
  18. squash — to crush
  19. stem — to come from
  20. net — after costs
  21. rock — a stone
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. staff — employees
  24. rock — music

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