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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. cell — in biology
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. staff — employees
  11. mug — a cup
  12. rush — hurry
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. staff — employees
  15. staff — a stick
  16. mug — to rob
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. mug — a face
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. bat — the animal
  21. cell — a phone
  22. rule — a law
  23. rule — government
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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