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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. staff — employees
  3. staff — employees
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. kid — to tease
  6. mug — a face
  7. mug — a cup
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. date — the fruit
  12. mug — to rob
  13. pit — a hole
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. object — a thing
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. kid — child
  20. object — to protest
  21. staff — a stick
  22. pit — in a race
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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