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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. current — happening now
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. current — electric
  5. fall — to drop
  6. club — for dancing
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. current — of water
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. club — for golf
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. club — a group
  14. fall — to drop
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. date — the fruit
  17. rest — a break
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. rest — what's left
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. fall — the season

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