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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 old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. toast — bread
  3. current — happening now
  4. current — electric
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. tear — to rip
  7. chip — to eat
  8. current — of water
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. deal — to handle
  11. staff — employees
  12. capital — money
  13. tear — from crying
  14. bore — to tire
  15. capital — a city
  16. tear — from crying
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. bore — to drill
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. chip — for betting
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. staff — employees
  24. toast — the most admired

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