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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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. foot — a measure
  3. club — for dancing
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. march — the month
  6. land — ground
  7. march — the month
  8. suit — to fit
  9. mug — a face
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. mug — to rob
  12. land — a country
  13. staff — employees
  14. mug — a cup
  15. land — to come down
  16. march — music
  17. suit — clothes
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. fork — in a road
  20. staff — a stick
  21. club — for golf
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. suit — in cards
  24. club — a group

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