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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  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. key — in music
  2. bore — to tire
  3. staff — employees
  4. field — a subject
  5. field — for sport
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. current — happening now
  8. key — for a lock
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. current — electric
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. kid — child
  13. bank — for money
  14. bank — of a river
  15. key — the most important part
  16. kid — to tease
  17. bore — to drill
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. field — farmland
  20. bank — for money
  21. current — of water
  22. staff — a stick
  23. stand — to bear
  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