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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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. club — for dancing
  3. staff — employees
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. pop — soda
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. fall — to drop
  8. club — for golf
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. season — in sport
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. staff — a stick
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. fall — the season
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. pop — music
  18. season — of the year
  19. pop — to visit
  20. sharp — clever
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. club — a group
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. fall — to drop

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