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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. wind — moving air
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. prune — to trim
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. current — electric
  7. suit — clothes
  8. wind — moving air
  9. net — after costs
  10. deal — to handle
  11. suit — to fit
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. prune — to trim
  14. net — in sport
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. suit — in cards
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. current — of water
  21. net — for catching
  22. sharp — clever
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. prune — the fruit

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