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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: mouse · staff · cabinet · key · fan · wake · suit · hand

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. hand — help
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. wake — a trail
  8. hand — in cards
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. suit — clothes
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. suit — to fit
  15. suit — in cards
  16. staff — a stick
  17. key — for a lock
  18. key — in music
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. staff — employees
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. key — the most important part

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