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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. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. current — electric
  5. stand — to bear
  6. pass — a permit
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. bulb — for light
  11. current — happening now
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. rule — a law
  16. fork — in a road
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. rule — government
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. staff — a stick
  22. current — of water
  23. bulb — for light
  24. staff — employees

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