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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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. current — of water
  5. mark — a trace
  6. face — to point toward
  7. current — happening now
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. staff — employees
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. perch — the fish
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. face — to confront
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bear — the animal
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. staff — employees
  20. dip — to sink
  21. current — electric
  22. face — part of the head
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. mark — a grade

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