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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. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. file — a document
  3. pop — to visit
  4. cue — a hint
  5. court — of law
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. file — a line of people
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. pop — soda
  10. cue — for pool
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. staff — employees
  13. cue — a signal
  14. court — of a king
  15. court — for sport
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. pop — music
  18. staff — a stick
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. file — a tool
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. safe — out of danger

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