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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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. rest — what's left
  3. current — of water
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. bank — of a river
  6. saw — the tool
  7. face — part of the head
  8. face — to point toward
  9. rush — hurry
  10. cap — of ice
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. rest — what's left
  13. bank — for money
  14. rest — a break
  15. current — electric
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. cap — a lid
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. saw — the tool
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. current — happening now
  23. face — to confront
  24. bank — for money

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