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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. toast — bread
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. ground — a position
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. staff — employees
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. craft — boats
  12. ground — crushed
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. ground — the earth
  19. staff — a stick
  20. craft — a skill
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. pound — a weight
  24. rush — hurry

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