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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 120 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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. face — part of the head
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. current — of water
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. current — electric
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. perch — the fish
  11. ball — a dance
  12. face — to confront
  13. tear — from crying
  14. face — to point toward
  15. shower — to wash
  16. tear — from crying
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. shower — rain
  21. ball — a great time
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. tear — to rip
  24. current — happening now

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