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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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. mug — a cup
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. tear — from crying
  8. mug — to rob
  9. pass — a permit
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. staff — a stick
  13. mark — a trace
  14. tear — from crying
  15. mark — a grade
  16. mug — a face
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. mine — for digging
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. tear — to rip
  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