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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. fine — high quality
  4. scale — in music
  5. mate — a partner
  6. mate — to breed
  7. fine — all right
  8. staff — a stick
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. staff — employees
  14. mate — a friend
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. scale — size or range
  17. pit — a hole
  18. roll — a cake
  19. pit — in a race
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. roll — a list
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. fine — a penalty

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