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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. rush — hurry
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. staff — employees
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. march — the month
  7. cue — a signal
  8. mug — to rob
  9. cue — for pool
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. bank — of a river
  12. season — in sport
  13. bank — for money
  14. staff — a stick
  15. season — of the year
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. mug — a cup
  18. march — the month
  19. mug — a face
  20. wax — to grow
  21. cue — a hint
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. march — music
  24. staff — employees

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