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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. staff — employees
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. staff — a stick
  5. rash — a series
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. season — of the year
  8. tube — a container
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. chest — of your body
  11. staff — employees
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. cue — a hint
  15. season — in sport
  16. tube — the underground
  17. chest — a box
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. cue — for pool
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. cue — a signal
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. chest — of your body

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