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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. bear — the animal
  7. staff — employees
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. content — happy
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. content — the amount
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. bear — the animal
  23. staff — a stick
  24. content — videos and posts

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