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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. current — of water
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. degree — temperature
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. degree — from a university
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ball — a great time
  14. degree — an amount
  15. face — part of the head
  16. current — happening now
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. ball — a dance
  21. face — to confront
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. current — electric
  24. ruler — for measuring

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