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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. face — to point toward
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. track — a path
  6. face — part of the head
  7. present — a gift
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. rock — music
  12. face — to confront
  13. current — of water
  14. cell — in biology
  15. present — there
  16. bulb — for light
  17. track — to keep track
  18. track — a song
  19. rock — a stone
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. current — happening now
  22. cell — a phone
  23. present — the time now
  24. current — electric

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