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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 120 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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. current — happening now
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. suit — clothes
  7. wound — an injury
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. current — of water
  10. wound — an injury
  11. row — to paddle
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. current — electric
  15. scale — size or range
  16. scale — in music
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. suit — to fit
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. row — a line
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. suit — in cards
  24. dip — to sink

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