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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. current — of water
  3. current — happening now
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. firm — a company
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. lie — to recline
  8. firm — decided
  9. ball — a dance
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. cell — a phone
  12. firm — steady
  13. perch — the fish
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. row — a line
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. current — electric
  18. ball — a great time
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. row — to paddle
  21. cell — in biology
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. perch — for a bird

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