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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: club · current · staff · nail · row · foot · spring · safe

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. staff — employees
  4. staff — a stick
  5. current — electric
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. row — to paddle
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. foot — a measure
  10. spring — a coil
  11. current — of water
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. club — for dancing
  14. current — happening now
  15. spring — of water
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. club — a group
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. row — a line
  20. spring — the season
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. club — for golf
  24. foot — the bottom

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