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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 old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. staff — a stick
  3. cue — for pool
  4. rule — a law
  5. mark — a grade
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. staff — employees
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. rule — government
  10. cue — a signal
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. chest — of your body
  13. firm — decided
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. firm — a company
  16. cue — a hint
  17. firm — steady
  18. mark — a trace
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. chest — of your body
  21. craft — boats
  22. chest — a box
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. craft — a skill

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