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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: mug · staff · mate · rest · march · mine · jam · club

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. staff — employees
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. club — a group
  9. rest — a break
  10. staff — employees
  11. mate — to breed
  12. club — for golf
  13. staff — a stick
  14. mug — a face
  15. march — the month
  16. march — music
  17. mate — a friend
  18. march — the month
  19. club — for dancing
  20. rest — what's left
  21. mug — a cup
  22. mine — for digging
  23. mate — a partner
  24. rest — what's left

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