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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 116 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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. swing — in golf
  3. staff — employees
  4. wound — an injury
  5. staff — a stick
  6. rest — a break
  7. cue — a signal
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. cue — for pool
  12. spring — the season
  13. stock — shares
  14. swing — music
  15. staff — employees
  16. spring — a coil
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. cue — a hint
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. rest — what's left
  21. wound — an injury
  22. swing — to play on
  23. spring — of water
  24. stock — goods

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