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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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. bank — for money
  5. bank — for money
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. wake — a trail
  9. bore — to drill
  10. staff — employees
  11. craft — boats
  12. bank — of a river
  13. mark — a trace
  14. mark — a grade
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. craft — a skill
  17. bore — to tire
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. season — in sport
  22. season — of the year
  23. staff — a stick
  24. season — to add flavour

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