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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 116 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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. firm — a company
  4. can — a tin
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. plane — a tool
  7. shower — to wash
  8. staff — employees
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. firm — steady
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. can — to be able to
  13. can — a tin
  14. current — happening now
  15. firm — decided
  16. wake — a trail
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. staff — employees
  19. staff — a stick
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. shower — rain
  22. current — of water
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. current — electric

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