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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 office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. bark — to shout
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. chip — for betting
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. pop — soda
  11. pop — music
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. chip — to eat
  15. staff — employees
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. degree — from a university
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. staff — a stick
  20. degree — an amount
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. degree — temperature
  23. pop — to visit
  24. chip — in a computer

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