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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. mate — a friend
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. mug — a cup
  6. track — a path
  7. land — a country
  8. land — to come down
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. land — ground
  11. track — to keep track
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. bass — the fish
  15. mug — a face
  16. bass — low music
  17. mate — to breed
  18. track — a song
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. branch — a division
  21. mate — a partner
  22. staff — a stick
  23. staff — employees
  24. mug — to rob

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