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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. object — an aim
  7. bark — to shout
  8. row — to paddle
  9. current — electric
  10. mug — a cup
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. mug — to rob
  15. row — a line
  16. object — to protest
  17. sharp — clever
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. mug — a face
  20. pass — a permit
  21. object — a thing
  22. current — of water
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. sharp — with an edge

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