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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 ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. staff — employees
  3. deal — to handle
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. bark — to shout
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. mark — a grade
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. stand — to bear
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. staff — a stick
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. mark — a trace
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. staff — employees
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. bat — the animal
  24. jam — in traffic

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