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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 office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. staff — employees
  3. suit — to fit
  4. staff — a stick
  5. file — a tool
  6. bound — certain
  7. bound — tied together
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. pit — a hole
  12. current — of water
  13. rock — a stone
  14. current — electric
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. suit — in cards
  17. pit — in a race
  18. current — happening now
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. file — a document
  21. suit — clothes
  22. file — a line of people
  23. bound — obliged
  24. rock — music

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