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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. object — a thing
  3. firm — decided
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. staff — a stick
  7. current — electric
  8. row — a line
  9. object — to protest
  10. row — to paddle
  11. object — an aim
  12. firm — steady
  13. staff — employees
  14. current — of water
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. staff — employees
  18. bass — the fish
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. bass — low music
  21. firm — a company
  22. current — happening now
  23. wound — an injury
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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