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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. mark — a trace
  3. row — to paddle
  4. charge — electricity
  5. bear — the animal
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. row — a line
  10. bear — the animal
  11. craft — a skill
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. craft — boats
  14. staff — a stick
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. charge — a price
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. mark — a grade
  21. charge — in control
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. rush — hurry
  24. staff — employees

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