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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 120 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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. staff — a stick
  3. tear — to rip
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. cue — a signal
  6. can — a tin
  7. can — to be able to
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. tear — from crying
  10. can — a tin
  11. race — humankind
  12. cue — a hint
  13. tear — from crying
  14. deal — to handle
  15. pit — a hole
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. staff — employees
  19. pit — in a race
  20. race — the arms race
  21. cue — for pool
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. sharp — clever
  24. race — a contest

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