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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: arm · mug · bat · object · current · staff · kid · bay

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. current — happening now
  3. object — to protest
  4. staff — employees
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. object — an aim
  7. current — electric
  8. mug — a cup
  9. mug — a face
  10. kid — child
  11. staff — employees
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. current — of water
  14. bat — the animal
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. mug — to rob
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. staff — a stick
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. object — a thing
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. kid — to tease

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