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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: suit · dip · rush · mouse · sharp · band · staff · prune

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. suit — in cards
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. band — a ring
  7. staff — employees
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. sharp — clever
  11. suit — clothes
  12. dip — to sink
  13. suit — to fit
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. prune — to trim
  16. band — a music group
  17. prune — to trim
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. rush — hurry
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. staff — a stick
  24. sharp — exactly

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