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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. fine — all right
  3. current — electric
  4. current — of water
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. staff — employees
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. saw — the tool
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. snap — to click
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. shower — rain
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. fine — high quality
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. staff — employees
  19. current — happening now
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. shower — to wash
  22. saw — the tool
  23. stand — to bear
  24. stand — for spectators

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