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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: fine · bat · ball · staff · coach · mug · wind · hide

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. mug — a cup
  3. mug — a face
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. wind — moving air
  6. staff — a stick
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. fine — high quality
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. ball — a dance
  13. staff — employees
  14. bat — the animal
  15. wind — moving air
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. mug — to rob
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. fine — all right
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. staff — employees
  24. hide — animal skin

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