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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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. bound — tied together
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. bulb — for light
  6. last — finally
  7. mug — a cup
  8. last — to go on
  9. current — of water
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. current — electric
  12. last — final
  13. mug — a face
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. craft — a skill
  16. bound — certain
  17. bound — obliged
  18. mug — to rob
  19. craft — boats
  20. staff — a stick
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. bulb — for light
  23. current — happening now
  24. staff — employees

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