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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. ground — the earth
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. face — part of the head
  7. current — electric
  8. ground — a position
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. lean — thin
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. band — a ring
  13. ground — crushed
  14. current — of water
  15. bore — to drill
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. face — to confront
  18. face — to point toward
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. bore — to tire
  21. band — a music group
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. lean — to bend
  24. lie — to recline

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