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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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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: staff · mug · band · fine · hide · pop · arm · last

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. last — final
  4. mug — to rob
  5. pop — to visit
  6. band — a music group
  7. mug — a face
  8. staff — employees
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. staff — a stick
  11. last — finally
  12. fine — high quality
  13. mug — a cup
  14. staff — employees
  15. band — a ring
  16. last — to go on
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. pop — music
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. fine — all right
  21. pop — soda
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. hide — to keep secret

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