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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. cap — a lid
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. suit — in cards
  6. current — of water
  7. cap — of ice
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. suit — to fit
  10. face — part of the head
  11. suit — clothes
  12. shower — to wash
  13. stock — goods
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. cap — a hat
  16. face — to confront
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. shower — rain
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. sharp — clever
  22. current — happening now
  23. current — electric
  24. stock — shares

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