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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 116 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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. net — for catching
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. current — electric
  7. current — of water
  8. net — in sport
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. wake — a trail
  12. lie — to recline
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. current — happening now
  15. net — after costs
  16. pass — a permit
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. lie — an untruth

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