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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 120 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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. staff — employees
  3. bark — to shout
  4. staff — a stick
  5. can — a tin
  6. plane — a tool
  7. current — electric
  8. current — of water
  9. can — a tin
  10. bound — obliged
  11. bound — certain
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. race — humankind
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. can — to be able to
  16. bound — tied together
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. current — happening now
  19. race — a contest
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. race — the arms race
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. bark — of a tree

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