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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. current — happening now
  3. lie — to recline
  4. sharp — clever
  5. fork — in a road
  6. mate — a partner
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. spell — a short time
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. spell — letters
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. mate — a friend
  16. current — electric
  17. spell — magic
  18. current — of water
  19. bulb — for light
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. bulb — for light
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. mate — to breed
  24. bulb — of a plant

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