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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. bulb — for light
  3. current — of water
  4. staff — employees
  5. rest — a break
  6. march — the month
  7. staff — a stick
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. board — to get on
  11. rest — what's left
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. current — electric
  14. current — happening now
  15. rest — what's left
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. march — music
  18. bulb — for light
  19. board — a committee
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. staff — employees
  23. march — the month
  24. lean — thin

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