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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. spell — a short time
  3. spell — magic
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. current — of water
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. wound — an injury
  9. lie — to recline
  10. spell — letters
  11. current — electric
  12. current — happening now
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. track — a path
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. stem — to come from
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. wound — an injury
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. track — a song
  24. track — to keep track

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