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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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. rash — a series
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. lie — to recline
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. roll — a cake
  10. current — happening now
  11. current — of water
  12. roll — a list
  13. stem — to come from
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. current — electric
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. rash — hasty
  19. present — a gift
  20. staff — employees
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. staff — a stick
  23. present — the time now
  24. present — there

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