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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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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. wound — an injury
  6. wound — an injury
  7. face — to point toward
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. current — of water
  11. face — to confront
  12. current — happening now
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. spring — the season
  15. face — part of the head
  16. spring — a coil
  17. prune — to trim
  18. mate — a partner
  19. mate — to breed
  20. mate — a friend
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. prune — to trim
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. spring — of water

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