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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 116 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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. object — a thing
  3. staff — employees
  4. key — for a lock
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. snap — to click
  7. sharp — clever
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. can — to be able to
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. fine — all right
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. object — an aim
  15. can — a tin
  16. fine — high quality
  17. key — the most important part
  18. staff — a stick
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. can — a tin
  22. key — in music
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. object — to protest

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