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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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. tear — from crying
  6. staff — a stick
  7. charge — in control
  8. mug — a face
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. mug — to rob
  11. tear — to rip
  12. current — electric
  13. current — of water
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. charge — a price
  16. staff — employees
  17. plane — a tool
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. charge — electricity
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. tear — from crying
  22. current — happening now
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. mug — a cup

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