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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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. race — a contest
  3. staff — employees
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. race — the arms race
  7. staff — a stick
  8. key — for a lock
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. season — of the year
  11. cue — for pool
  12. race — humankind
  13. march — the month
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. mug — a face
  16. key — in music
  17. key — the most important part
  18. march — music
  19. cue — a hint
  20. mug — to rob
  21. march — the month
  22. season — in sport
  23. mug — a cup
  24. cue — a signal

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