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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. race — the arms race
  4. foot — a measure
  5. current — of water
  6. firm — steady
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. present — there
  9. spring — the season
  10. race — humankind
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. race — a contest
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. spring — a coil
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. current — electric
  19. present — a gift
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. present — the time now
  22. spring — of water
  23. firm — decided
  24. current — happening now

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