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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. current — of water
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. board — a committee
  5. current — electric
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. lean — thin
  10. pit — a hole
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. current — happening now
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. bark — to shout
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. board — to get on
  24. pit — in a race

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