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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. snap — to click
  5. current — happening now
  6. staff — employees
  7. staff — a stick
  8. mug — a cup
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. current — electric
  11. spring — of water
  12. deal — to handle
  13. spring — the season
  14. staff — employees
  15. mug — a face
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. pit — a hole
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. mug — to rob
  23. pit — in a race
  24. spring — a coil

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