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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 teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. face — to confront
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. wind — moving air
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. bank — for money
  8. current — happening now
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. bank — for money
  12. face — part of the head
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. bank — of a river
  15. wind — moving air
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. face — to point toward
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. current — electric
  23. current — of water
  24. roll — a cake

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