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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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. mug — to rob
  5. mug — a face
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. mug — a cup
  10. current — of water
  11. file — a tool
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. staff — a stick
  15. file — a document
  16. tube — a container
  17. stand — to bear
  18. file — a line of people
  19. current — electric
  20. row — to paddle
  21. tube — the underground
  22. current — happening now
  23. row — a line
  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