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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. rest — a break
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. current — electric
  7. rush — hurry
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. rest — what's left
  11. staff — employees
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. staff — employees
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. rest — what's left
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. current — of water
  22. staff — a stick
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. bat — the animal

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