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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. staff — employees
  3. mug — to rob
  4. mug — a cup
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. spell — letters
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. squash — to crush
  12. mug — a face
  13. rule — government
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. swing — music
  16. swing — in golf
  17. rule — a law
  18. squash — the sport
  19. spell — magic
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. staff — a stick
  23. staff — employees
  24. spell — a short time

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