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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. wake — a trail
  4. staff — employees
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. current — happening now
  7. ball — a great time
  8. mine — for digging
  9. mug — a face
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. current — of water
  13. staff — a stick
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. mug — a cup
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. mug — to rob
  18. ball — a dance
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. current — electric
  24. staff — employees

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