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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  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. current — electric
  3. mug — to rob
  4. mug — a cup
  5. can — a tin
  6. staff — a stick
  7. staff — employees
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. can — to be able to
  11. dip — to sink
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. current — happening now
  14. fork — in a road
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. stock — goods
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. rash — a series
  20. can — a tin
  21. stock — shares
  22. mug — a face
  23. rash — hasty
  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