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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. fall — the season
  3. suit — to fit
  4. suit — in cards
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. pop — soda
  7. fall — to drop
  8. hand — in cards
  9. fall — to drop
  10. wake — a trail
  11. current — electric
  12. current — of water
  13. pop — to visit
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. hand — help
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. current — happening now
  23. suit — clothes
  24. temple — a place of worship

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