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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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. rock — a stone
  3. rock — music
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. current — electric
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. current — of water
  13. ground — crushed
  14. staff — employees
  15. wound — an injury
  16. current — happening now
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. wound — an injury
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. snap — to click
  21. ground — the earth
  22. staff — a stick
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. ground — a position

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