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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. squash — the sport
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. staff — a stick
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. current — happening now
  7. mug — a cup
  8. staff — employees
  9. fall — to drop
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. squash — to crush
  12. fall — to drop
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. mug — a face
  16. bass — the fish
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. staff — employees
  19. fall — the season
  20. sharp — clever
  21. bass — low music
  22. current — of water
  23. mug — to rob
  24. sharp — with an edge

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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