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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. mug — a cup
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. tear — to rip
  5. tear — from crying
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. mug — to rob
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. current — of water
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. sharp — clever
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. wake — a trail
  16. charge — electricity
  17. mug — a face
  18. charge — in control
  19. current — happening now
  20. current — electric
  21. charge — a price
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. perch — the fish
  24. tear — from crying

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