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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. craft — boats
  3. club — for dancing
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. staff — employees
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. cue — a hint
  9. press — a publisher
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. club — a group
  12. cue — for pool
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. press — newspapers
  16. kick — in football
  17. club — for golf
  18. press — to push
  19. staff — a stick
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. craft — a skill
  22. cue — a signal
  23. rush — hurry
  24. craft — a handicraft

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