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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. current — electric
  3. scale — size or range
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bear — the animal
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. kick — in football
  8. squash — the sport
  9. staff — employees
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. firm — steady
  13. current — of water
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. squash — to crush
  16. firm — decided
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. current — happening now
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. staff — a stick
  21. scale — in music
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. staff — employees
  24. scale — for weighing

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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