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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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. key — the most important part
  3. tear — from crying
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. key — in music
  6. board — a committee
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. track — a path
  9. key — for a lock
  10. track — to keep track
  11. current — of water
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. track — a song
  14. current — happening now
  15. staff — employees
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. current — electric
  18. staff — a stick
  19. board — to get on
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. dip — to sink
  22. tear — from crying
  23. tear — to rip
  24. hide — to keep secret

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