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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. mark — a trace
  3. saw — the tool
  4. face — part of the head
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. perch — the fish
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. saw — the tool
  9. current — happening now
  10. bulb — for light
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. current — of water
  13. mark — a grade
  14. present — there
  15. present — a gift
  16. bulb — for light
  17. face — to point toward
  18. net — after costs
  19. current — electric
  20. present — the time now
  21. net — for catching
  22. net — in sport
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. face — to confront

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