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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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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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. snap — to click
  4. staff — employees
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. current — electric
  7. current — of water
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. current — happening now
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. spell — magic
  13. deal — to handle
  14. stem — to come from
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. spell — a short time
  20. staff — a stick
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. plane — a tool
  23. spell — letters
  24. deal — an agreement

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