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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 120 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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  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 — employees
  2. staff — employees
  3. current — happening now
  4. spring — of water
  5. rest — what's left
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. current — of water
  8. craft — a skill
  9. can — a tin
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. spring — a coil
  12. can — a tin
  13. rest — what's left
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. staff — a stick
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. rest — a break
  20. can — to be able to
  21. spring — the season
  22. craft — boats
  23. pitcher — a jug
  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