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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
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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: mouse · mark · object · firm · bat · rule · staff · wake

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. firm — decided
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. rule — government
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. bat — the animal
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. staff — employees
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. mark — a trace
  11. staff — employees
  12. object — a thing
  13. rule — a law
  14. mark — a grade
  15. object — an aim
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. firm — a company
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. staff — a stick
  20. firm — steady
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. object — to protest
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. wake — a trail

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