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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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. wound — an injury
  3. staff — employees
  4. current — happening now
  5. wound — an injury
  6. staff — a stick
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. firm — decided
  9. fall — to drop
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. fall — to drop
  15. deal — to handle
  16. perch — the fish
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. current — of water
  19. firm — steady
  20. fall — the season
  21. firm — a company
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. current — electric
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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