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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. rest — what's left
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. net — after costs
  7. lie — to recline
  8. current — happening now
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. net — in sport
  12. current — electric
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. ball — a great time
  15. ball — a dance
  16. cap — of ice
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. mark — a grade
  19. cap — a hat
  20. rest — a break
  21. rest — what's left
  22. current — of water
  23. mark — a trace
  24. cap — a lid

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