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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 always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. The water is too ________________.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. current — electric
  4. cold — an illness
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. current — happening now
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. current — of water
  11. snap — to click
  12. cold — the Cold War
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. charge — in control
  15. dip — to sink
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. cold — not warm
  18. bank — of a river
  19. charge — a price
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. charge — electricity
  22. bank — for money
  23. bank — for money
  24. temple — a place of worship

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