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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.

Make a worksheet

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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. staff — a stick
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. staff — employees
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. spell — letters
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. rule — a law
  11. hand — help
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. key — the most important part
  15. staff — employees
  16. rule — government
  17. hand — in cards
  18. key — in music
  19. chair — a leader
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. spell — magic
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. spell — a short time

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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