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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. lean — to bend
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. rock — a stone
  5. rock — music
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. current — electric
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. current — happening now
  16. file — a tool
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. current — of water
  20. lean — thin
  21. file — a line of people
  22. file — a document
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. nail — for a hammer

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