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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 124 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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  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. hand — part of the body
  2. staff — employees
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. current — happening now
  7. hand — help
  8. chip — for betting
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. lean — thin
  11. lean — to bend
  12. root — of a word
  13. root — the cause
  14. track — to keep track
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. current — of water
  17. hand — in cards
  18. staff — a stick
  19. track — a path
  20. root — of a plant
  21. chip — to eat
  22. track — a song
  23. current — electric
  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