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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. staff — a stick
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. wind — moving air
  7. saw — the tool
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. wind — moving air
  10. spell — letters
  11. suit — clothes
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. staff — employees
  15. roll — a list
  16. suit — in cards
  17. roll — a cake
  18. suit — to fit
  19. spell — a short time
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. snap — to click
  22. spell — magic
  23. saw — the tool
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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