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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. staff — employees
  3. tube — the underground
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. spell — a short time
  6. spell — letters
  7. mate — a friend
  8. mate — a partner
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. staff — employees
  11. spell — magic
  12. charge — a price
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. charge — in control
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. mate — to breed
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. band — a ring
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. staff — a stick
  22. band — a music group
  23. charge — electricity
  24. tube — a container

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