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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. rash — a series
  3. current — electric
  4. current — of water
  5. face — part of the head
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. perch — the fish
  8. dip — to sink
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. key — in music
  11. stem — to come from
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. face — to confront
  16. key — the most important part
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. face — to point toward
  20. current — happening now
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. rash — hasty
  24. dip — a sauce

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