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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  19. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. The water is too ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. staff — employees
  4. rest — what's left
  5. current — of water
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. rest — what's left
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. staff — a stick
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. current — electric
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. staff — employees
  17. rest — a break
  18. cold — the Cold War
  19. cold — an illness
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. cold — not warm
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. current — happening now
  24. wave — with your hand

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