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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. fall — to drop
  3. staff — a stick
  4. bulb — for light
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. fall — to drop
  7. rush — hurry
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. fall — the season
  10. current — of water
  11. staff — employees
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. bulb — for light
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. ground — crushed
  17. ground — the earth
  18. foot — a measure
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. staff — employees
  21. current — electric
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. ground — a position
  24. foot — part of the body

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