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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.

Make a worksheet

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 asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. spell — magic
  3. march — the month
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. bound — obliged
  7. march — the month
  8. current — of water
  9. staff — employees
  10. spell — a short time
  11. spell — letters
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. season — in sport
  14. bound — certain
  15. current — happening now
  16. bound — tied together
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. staff — a stick
  20. current — electric
  21. march — music
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. season — of the year

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