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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. mark — a grade
  3. lie — to recline
  4. current — happening now
  5. perch — the fish
  6. wind — moving air
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. current — electric
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. wind — moving air
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. current — of water
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. deal — to handle
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. cell — a phone
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. cell — in biology
  24. lie — an untruth

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