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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: fan · hide · pass · bay · drill · foot · kick · staff

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. drill — the tool
  3. staff — employees
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. foot — a measure
  7. kick — in football
  8. staff — a stick
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. staff — employees
  14. drill — a practice
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. drill — army training
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. pass — to succeed

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