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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. mine — for digging
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. face — part of the head
  7. board — to get on
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. face — to point toward
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. current — happening now
  15. ground — the earth
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. ground — crushed
  18. current — of water
  19. wake — a trail
  20. face — to confront
  21. ground — a position
  22. current — electric
  23. board — a committee
  24. rush — hurry

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