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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. perch — the fish
  3. kick — in football
  4. stem — to come from
  5. current — electric
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. staff — a stick
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. stand — to bear
  14. shower — rain
  15. shower — to wash
  16. fine — high quality
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. current — of water
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. staff — employees
  23. staff — employees
  24. current — happening now

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