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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. staff — employees
  4. rush — hurry
  5. scale — size or range
  6. mark — a grade
  7. lie — to recline
  8. mark — a trace
  9. mug — a face
  10. bark — to shout
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. staff — employees
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. mug — to rob
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. scale — in music
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. staff — a stick

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