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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. face — part of the head
  3. hand — help
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. current — happening now
  6. face — to confront
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. kick — in football
  11. hand — in cards
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. face — to point toward
  17. current — of water
  18. kick — with a leg

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