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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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. bank — of a river
  3. staff — employees
  4. sharp — clever
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. staff — a stick
  8. date — the fruit
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. pitch — completely
  12. perch — the fish
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. can — to be able to
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. can — a tin
  19. can — a tin
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. bank — for money
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. bank — for money

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