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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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. bound — tied together
  5. wound — an injury
  6. ground — a position
  7. can — a tin
  8. ground — the earth
  9. staff — employees
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. current — happening now
  12. can — a tin
  13. bound — certain
  14. can — to be able to
  15. bound — obliged
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. wound — an injury
  19. ground — crushed
  20. stand — to bear
  21. staff — a stick
  22. current — electric
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. current — of water

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