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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 party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. wound — an injury
  3. bound — obliged
  4. staff — employees
  5. bank — for money
  6. land — ground
  7. cue — a hint
  8. wound — an injury
  9. staff — employees
  10. rash — hasty
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. cue — for pool
  13. land — to come down
  14. bank — of a river
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. cue — a signal
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. plane — a tool
  19. bank — for money
  20. bound — certain
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. bound — tied together
  23. staff — a stick
  24. land — a country

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