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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 116 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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. current — electric
  3. fall — to drop
  4. staff — employees
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. face — to confront
  8. face — part of the head
  9. wake — a trail
  10. current — happening now
  11. fall — to drop
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. bore — to drill
  14. staff — a stick
  15. fall — the season
  16. face — to point toward
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. file — a line of people
  20. staff — employees
  21. file — a document
  22. current — of water
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. bore — to tire

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