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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.

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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. That must've been a ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. saw — the tool
  4. firm — steady
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. rush — hurry
  7. race — the arms race
  8. staff — a stick
  9. saw — the tool
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. race — a contest
  12. firm — a company
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. charge — a price
  15. charge — electricity
  16. staff — employees
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. cell — in biology
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. plane — a tool
  21. charge — in control
  22. cell — a phone
  23. race — humankind
  24. firm — decided

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