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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. wake — a trail
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. track — a song
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. staff — a stick
  13. track — a path
  14. cue — for pool
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. staff — employees
  17. track — to keep track
  18. date — the fruit
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. cue — a signal
  21. shower — rain
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. cue — a hint
  24. shower — to wash

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