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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. staff — employees
  3. swing — to play on
  4. cue — a signal
  5. swing — music
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. land — a country
  8. cue — for pool
  9. staff — employees
  10. land — to come down
  11. land — ground
  12. fine — high quality
  13. staff — a stick
  14. fine — all right
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. swing — in golf
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. cue — a hint
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. saw — the tool
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. chair — a leader

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