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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. track — a song
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. present — the time now
  8. stand — to bear
  9. object — a thing
  10. track — to keep track
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. object — to protest
  13. squash — the sport
  14. lie — to recline
  15. present — a gift
  16. object — an aim
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. squash — to crush
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. present — there
  21. track — a path
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. current — electric
  24. current — of water

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