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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 got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. can — a tin
  3. present — a gift
  4. staff — a stick
  5. staff — employees
  6. current — happening now
  7. fall — the season
  8. can — a tin
  9. current — electric
  10. mate — to breed
  11. branch — a division
  12. present — there
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. mate — a partner
  15. fall — to drop
  16. staff — employees
  17. fall — to drop
  18. current — of water
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. present — the time now
  21. can — to be able to
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. mate — a friend
  24. hand — help

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