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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. staff — a stick
  3. staff — employees
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. firm — steady
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. current — of water
  8. staff — employees
  9. firm — decided
  10. current — electric
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. band — a ring
  15. craft — a skill
  16. band — a music group
  17. craft — boats
  18. current — happening now

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