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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: spring · rush · date · staff · fine · present · bay · nail

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. present — there
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. spring — a coil
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. spring — of water
  11. fine — high quality
  12. staff — employees
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. present — a gift
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. fine — all right
  17. spring — the season
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. date — the fruit
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. staff — employees
  23. rush — hurry
  24. present — the time now

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