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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.

Make a worksheet

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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. mug — a face
  5. game — wild animals
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. staff — a stick
  8. mug — a cup
  9. key — for a lock
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. key — in music
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. staff — employees
  18. game — a match
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. key — the most important part
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. mug — to rob

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