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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. 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. pitch — a sales talk
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. fall — to drop
  4. craft — boats
  5. current — of water
  6. staff — employees
  7. game — wild animals
  8. current — electric
  9. lean — to bend
  10. fall — to drop
  11. suit — in cards
  12. staff — employees
  13. craft — a skill
  14. fall — the season
  15. suit — clothes
  16. staff — a stick
  17. pitch — completely
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. suit — to fit
  20. game — a match
  21. lean — thin
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. 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