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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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. sharp — clever
  3. stand — to bear
  4. craft — a skill
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. cue — a hint
  7. current — happening now
  8. staff — employees
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. cue — for pool
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. stock — shares
  15. stock — goods
  16. craft — boats
  17. current — of water
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. cue — a signal
  21. staff — employees
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. stem — to come from
  24. current — electric

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