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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. firm — steady
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. pit — a hole
  6. firm — decided
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. stock — shares
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. stock — goods
  11. current — happening now
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. current — electric
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. rest — what's left
  18. lie — to recline
  19. rest — a break
  20. pit — in a race
  21. firm — a company
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. rest — what's left

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