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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 116 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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. current — happening now
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. game — wild animals
  6. current — electric
  7. staff — employees
  8. mug — a face
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. game — a match
  11. mug — to rob
  12. lie — to recline
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. rock — music
  16. mug — a cup
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. staff — a stick
  22. current — of water
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. rock — a stone

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