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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. can — a tin
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. can — a tin
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. scale — in music
  10. sharp — clever
  11. ground — crushed
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. current — electric
  14. can — to be able to
  15. ground — the earth
  16. scale — size or range
  17. current — of water
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. current — happening now
  20. wake — a trail
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. ground — a position

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