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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 120 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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. chest — of your body
  4. staff — employees
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. staff — a stick
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. chest — a box
  10. rock — a stone
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. chest — of your body
  14. rule — government
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. bank — for money
  19. rock — music
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. dip — to sink
  22. bank — for money
  23. rule — a law
  24. bank — of a river

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