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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. sharp — clever
  5. wake — a trail
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. foot — a measure
  14. current — electric
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. last — final
  19. current — of water
  20. last — finally
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. last — to go on
  24. wake — before a funeral

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