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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. mine — for digging
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. firm — a company
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. staff — a stick
  8. wake — a trail
  9. mate — to breed
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. stem — to come from
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. firm — steady
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. firm — decided
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. staff — employees
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. mate — a partner
  23. mate — a friend
  24. nail — for a hammer

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