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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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. The water is too ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. staff — employees
  3. club — a group
  4. cold — not warm
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. staff — employees
  8. vault — a safe
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. mug — to rob
  11. season — of the year
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. season — in sport
  15. mug — a cup
  16. club — for dancing
  17. cold — the Cold War
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. cold — an illness
  20. mug — a face
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. club — for golf

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