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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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. staff — employees
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. mug — to rob
  6. staff — a stick
  7. tear — from crying
  8. mug — a face
  9. rush — hurry
  10. tear — to rip
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. stock — goods
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. row — to paddle
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. row — a line
  19. stock — shares
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. mug — a cup
  24. tear — from crying

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