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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. craft — boats
  3. ball — a great time
  4. mate — a friend
  5. charge — in control
  6. ball — a dance
  7. staff — employees
  8. charge — a price
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. toast — bread
  11. mate — to breed
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. mate — a partner
  14. current — happening now
  15. current — electric
  16. current — of water
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. craft — a skill
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. charge — electricity
  23. staff — a stick
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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