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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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. staff — employees
  3. key — the most important part
  4. mark — a trace
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. fine — high quality
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. row — to paddle
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. perch — the fish
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. row — a line
  14. bank — for money
  15. bank — for money
  16. fine — all right
  17. key — in music
  18. staff — a stick
  19. bank — of a river
  20. staff — employees
  21. snap — to click
  22. mark — a grade
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. key — for a lock

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