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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 coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. staff — employees
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. swing — to play on
  8. spell — a short time
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. spell — magic
  11. capital — money
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. spell — letters
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. swing — music
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. staff — a stick
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. staff — employees
  23. capital — a city
  24. hide — to keep secret

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