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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. track — a song
  3. current — of water
  4. fall — to drop
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. mark — a grade
  9. current — happening now
  10. current — electric
  11. track — to keep track
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. net — in sport
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. net — after costs
  19. track — a path
  20. net — for catching
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. mark — a trace
  24. fall — the season

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