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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. fine — high quality
  3. current — electric
  4. current — happening now
  5. face — to confront
  6. land — a country
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. face — to point toward
  9. current — of water
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. land — to come down
  12. roll — a list
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. face — part of the head
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. roll — a cake
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bear — the animal
  22. fine — all right
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. land — ground

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