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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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. rest — what's left
  3. stand — to bear
  4. key — for a lock
  5. cap — a hat
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. key — in music
  8. charge — in control
  9. cap — a lid
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. charge — electricity
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. charge — a price
  14. rest — a break
  15. mate — a partner
  16. rest — what's left
  17. mate — a friend
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. cap — of ice
  20. staff — employees
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. key — the most important part
  23. staff — a stick
  24. mate — to breed

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