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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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. date — the fruit
  3. charge — in control
  4. staff — a stick
  5. game — a match
  6. charge — electricity
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. current — of water
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. game — wild animals
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. current — happening now
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. charge — a price
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. staff — employees
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. current — electric
  24. fan — a supporter

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