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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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. march — the month
  5. bat — the animal
  6. press — newspapers
  7. press — a publisher
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. cue — for pool
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. cue — a hint
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. march — the month
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. cue — a signal
  18. staff — a stick
  19. bark — to shout
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. march — music
  22. staff — employees
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. press — to push

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