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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. current — happening now
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. rest — what's left
  5. rest — a break
  6. craft — boats
  7. hand — help
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. rest — what's left
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. press — newspapers
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. press — a publisher
  14. lean — thin
  15. staff — employees
  16. lean — to bend
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. press — to push
  19. staff — employees
  20. craft — a skill
  21. hand — in cards
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. current — electric
  24. current — of water

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