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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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 — of water
  4. bear — the animal
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. court — of a king
  7. bear — the animal
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. current — electric
  11. current — happening now
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. staff — a stick
  14. snap — to click
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. court — for sport
  17. stock — shares
  18. stock — goods
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. court — of law
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. wave — of the sea

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