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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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. current — of water
  3. rash — a series
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. rest — a break
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. current — happening now
  9. rest — what's left
  10. perch — the fish
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. rest — what's left
  14. face — part of the head
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. rash — hasty
  18. face — to point toward
  19. current — electric
  20. pit — in a race
  21. pit — a hole
  22. cell — in biology
  23. face — to confront
  24. cell — in a prison

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