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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. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. net — after costs
  3. staff — a stick
  4. staff — employees
  5. net — for catching
  6. rule — government
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. rule — a law
  9. mug — a cup
  10. rash — hasty
  11. mug — a face
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. net — in sport
  14. staff — employees
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. mug — to rob
  21. vault — a safe
  22. chair — a leader
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. cabinet — ministers

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