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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. bank — for money
  4. court — for sport
  5. bank — for money
  6. staff — employees
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. game — wild animals
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. face — to confront
  13. bank — of a river
  14. saw — the tool
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. court — of a king
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. court — of law
  19. saw — the tool
  20. game — a match
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. staff — a stick
  23. face — part of the head
  24. face — to point toward

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