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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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. kick — in football
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. land — ground
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. mark — a trace
  7. mark — a grade
  8. firm — steady
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. firm — a company
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. land — a country
  16. rest — what's left
  17. current — happening now
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. current — of water
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. firm — decided
  22. current — electric
  23. rest — a break
  24. rest — what's left

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