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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 116 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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. last — finally
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. track — a song
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. track — to keep track
  10. season — in sport
  11. can — to be able to
  12. staff — a stick
  13. track — a path
  14. can — a tin
  15. season — of the year
  16. last — final
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. rash — a series
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. rash — hasty
  22. last — to go on
  23. can — a tin
  24. staff — employees

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