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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 120 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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. chest — of your body
  6. firm — steady
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cell — in biology
  10. cell — a phone
  11. chest — a box
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. firm — decided
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. chest — of your body
  16. can — to be able to
  17. can — a tin
  18. firm — a company
  19. staff — employees
  20. staff — a stick
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. can — a tin
  24. fan — to cool the air

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