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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. season — in sport
  3. fine — high quality
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. rest — what's left
  7. perch — the fish
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. snap — to click
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. rest — a break
  15. rest — what's left
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. fine — all right
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. wake — a trail
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. current — of water
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. current — electric
  24. season — of the year

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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