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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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: current · staff · row · scale · rest · bound · spell · press

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. rest — what's left
  3. row — a line
  4. scale — size or range
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. current — happening now
  7. scale — in music
  8. current — of water
  9. spell — a short time
  10. press — newspapers
  11. spell — letters
  12. press — to push
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. staff — a stick
  15. bound — obliged
  16. staff — employees
  17. row — to paddle
  18. current — electric
  19. bound — tied together
  20. press — a publisher
  21. spell — magic
  22. rest — a break
  23. rest — what's left
  24. bound — certain

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