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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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. snap — to click
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. season — in sport
  6. squash — to crush
  7. cap — of ice
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. bear — the animal
  10. staff — a stick
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. bear — the animal
  13. staff — employees
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. bore — to tire
  17. season — of the year
  18. squash — the sport
  19. cap — a hat
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. bore — to drill
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. cap — a lid
  24. bear — to put up with

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