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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.

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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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. mark — a trace
  4. rule — a law
  5. ball — a dance
  6. staff — employees
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. staff — a stick
  9. last — final
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. rule — government
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. last — finally
  15. club — for golf
  16. club — for dancing
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. ball — a great time
  19. club — a group
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. mark — a grade
  22. last — to go on
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. bowl — to roll

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