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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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. staff — employees
  3. prune — to trim
  4. prune — to trim
  5. deal — to handle
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. current — electric
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. fine — high quality
  10. staff — a stick
  11. fine — all right
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. shower — to wash
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. current — of water
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. craft — a skill
  20. current — happening now
  21. staff — employees
  22. craft — boats
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. craft — a handicraft

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