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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. track — a song
  5. branch — a division
  6. shower — rain
  7. fall — to drop
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. game — wild animals
  10. current — electric
  11. current — happening now
  12. fall — the season
  13. track — a path
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. fall — to drop
  16. suit — clothes
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. current — of water
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. suit — to fit
  22. game — a match
  23. shower — to wash
  24. track — to keep track

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