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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. staff — employees
  3. key — for a lock
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. cap — a hat
  6. bore — to tire
  7. current — of water
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. current — electric
  14. key — the most important part
  15. staff — a stick
  16. snap — to click
  17. cap — of ice
  18. bore — to drill
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. cap — a lid
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. staff — employees
  24. key — in music

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