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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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. current — happening now
  3. stand — to bear
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. perch — the fish
  6. firm — decided
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. firm — a company
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. current — electric
  11. staff — a stick
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. tube — the underground
  14. staff — employees
  15. firm — steady
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. hand — in cards
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. tube — a container
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. hand — help
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. current — of water
  24. hand — 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