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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. fine — high quality
  3. suit — to fit
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. suit — clothes
  9. clip — a video
  10. squash — to crush
  11. clip — for paper
  12. fine — all right
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. staff — employees
  15. chair — a leader
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. clip — to cut
  19. foot — a measure
  20. squash — the sport
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. suit — in cards
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. staff — a stick

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