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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.

Make a worksheet

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: rush · snap · toast · staff · roll · mine · temple · bear

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. mine — for digging
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. snap — to click
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. rush — hurry
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. roll — a cake
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. bear — the animal
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. staff — employees
  19. roll — a list
  20. toast — bread
  21. bear — the animal
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. staff — a stick
  24. bear — to put up with

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