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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. cue — a signal
  4. fall — the season
  5. fall — to drop
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. fall — to drop
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. staff — employees
  10. prune — to trim
  11. bank — for money
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. bank — of a river
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. cue — a hint
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. prune — to trim
  22. staff — a stick
  23. cue — for pool
  24. bank — for money

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