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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 office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. staff — employees
  5. saw — the tool
  6. cue — for pool
  7. dip — to sink
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. shower — to wash
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. saw — the tool
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. ball — a dance
  14. ball — a great time
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. board — to get on
  19. cue — a signal
  20. wax — to grow
  21. shower — rain
  22. staff — a stick
  23. cue — a hint
  24. board — a committee

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