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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 116 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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. ground — the earth
  3. sharp — clever
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. current — electric
  6. cue — a signal
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. cue — a hint
  9. bore — to drill
  10. cue — for pool
  11. craft — boats
  12. club — a group
  13. craft — a skill
  14. current — of water
  15. face — part of the head
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. face — to point toward
  18. ground — a position
  19. club — for dancing
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. current — happening now
  22. club — for golf
  23. bore — to tire
  24. ground — crushed

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