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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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. squash — to crush
  3. staff — employees
  4. bound — tied together
  5. current — happening now
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. current — of water
  8. bound — certain
  9. staff — employees
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. current — electric
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. dip — to sink
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. bound — obliged
  18. squash — the sport
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. sharp — clever
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. sharp — exactly

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