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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 ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. swing — music
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. object — a thing
  5. current — happening now
  6. swing — to play on
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. current — electric
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. ground — crushed
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. object — to protest
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. current — of water
  16. lean — to bend
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. object — an aim
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. lean — thin
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. ground — a position
  24. swing — in golf

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