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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. pit — a hole
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. fork — in a road
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. current — electric
  8. current — happening now
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. rash — a series
  13. pit — in a race
  14. sharp — clever
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. rash — hasty
  17. bark — to shout
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. current — of water
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. foot — a measure

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