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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 120 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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. fork — in a road
  4. pass — a permit
  5. current — of water
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. land — to come down
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. stand — to bear
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. land — a country
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. current — electric
  18. prune — to trim
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. current — happening now
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. land — ground

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