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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. current — happening now
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. content — the amount
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. craft — boats
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. wake — a trail
  13. craft — a skill
  14. current — electric
  15. bank — for money
  16. current — of water
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. rock — a stone
  20. bank — for money
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. content — happy
  23. rock — music
  24. bank — of a river

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