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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. face — to confront
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. face — part of the head
  5. root — the cause
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. current — electric
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. face — to point toward
  16. perch — the fish
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. root — of a plant
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. current — happening now
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. pass — a permit
  24. root — of a word

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