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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. current — electric
  3. staff — employees
  4. content — the amount
  5. staff — employees
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. content — happy
  8. wind — moving air
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. pop — to visit
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. staff — a stick
  14. lean — thin
  15. current — happening now
  16. current — of water
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. perch — the fish
  19. wind — moving air
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. pop — music
  22. lean — to bend
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. safe — a strongbox

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