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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. bound — certain
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. current — of water
  5. craft — boats
  6. staff — a stick
  7. bound — obliged
  8. craft — a skill
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. game — wild animals
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. game — a match
  14. current — electric
  15. staff — employees
  16. staff — employees
  17. fall — to drop
  18. sharp — clever
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. fall — the season
  21. fall — to drop
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. bound — tied together

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