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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. suit — in cards
  3. staff — employees
  4. present — the time now
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. staff — employees
  7. rock — a stone
  8. cell — a phone
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. suit — clothes
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. rest — what's left
  13. bore — to tire
  14. staff — a stick
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. suit — to fit
  17. rest — a break
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. rest — what's left
  20. cell — in biology
  21. bore — to drill
  22. rock — music
  23. present — there
  24. cabinet — ministers

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