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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 124 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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. face — to confront
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. roll — a cake
  6. current — of water
  7. kid — child
  8. fine — all right
  9. face — part of the head
  10. roll — a list
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. ground — the earth
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. ground — crushed
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. current — electric
  17. face — to point toward
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. current — happening now
  20. ground — a position
  21. kid — to tease
  22. fine — high quality
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. wave — a sudden rise

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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