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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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. current — electric
  3. sharp — clever
  4. suit — clothes
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. current — happening now
  9. net — after costs
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. ground — a position
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. suit — in cards
  14. net — in sport
  15. ground — the earth
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. ground — crushed
  18. current — of water
  19. net — for catching
  20. perch — the fish
  21. rash — a series
  22. rash — hasty
  23. suit — to fit
  24. sharp — exactly

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