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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 sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. lie — to recline
  3. deal — to handle
  4. current — of water
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. tube — the underground
  8. drill — the tool
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. wind — moving air
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. drill — a practice
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. tube — a container
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. wind — moving air
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. current — happening now
  23. drill — army training
  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