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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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. root — of a word
  3. swing — music
  4. fall — the season
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. swing — to play on
  7. staff — a stick
  8. present — a gift
  9. rock — music
  10. mug — a cup
  11. staff — employees
  12. present — the time now
  13. fall — to drop
  14. present — there
  15. swing — in golf
  16. root — the cause
  17. rock — a stone
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. fall — to drop
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. mug — to rob
  22. pass — a permit
  23. root — of a plant
  24. mug — a face

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