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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. fall — to drop
  3. fall — to drop
  4. board — a committee
  5. plane — a tool
  6. fall — the season
  7. suit — clothes
  8. current — electric
  9. board — to get on
  10. suit — in cards
  11. firm — a company
  12. staff — employees
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. current — of water
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. firm — decided
  17. suit — to fit
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. firm — steady
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. capital — money
  22. current — happening now
  23. capital — a city
  24. staff — a stick

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