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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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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: nail · staff · firm · current · wind · mate · shower · stick

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. firm — a company
  3. wind — moving air
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. wind — moving air
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. firm — decided
  9. staff — employees
  10. mate — to breed
  11. staff — employees
  12. shower — to wash
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. mate — a friend
  15. firm — steady
  16. staff — a stick
  17. current — of water
  18. shower — rain
  19. current — electric
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. mate — a partner
  24. wind — to turn a key

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