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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. staff — a stick
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. object — to protest
  9. mug — a cup
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. bound — tied together
  12. staff — employees
  13. bound — certain
  14. current — of water
  15. foot — a measure
  16. staff — employees
  17. mug — to rob
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. object — an aim
  20. current — happening now
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. bound — obliged
  23. mug — a face
  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