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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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. current — electric
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. lean — to bend
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. key — the most important part
  7. current — of water
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. lean — thin
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. wake — a trail
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. kick — in football
  14. key — in music
  15. saw — the tool
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. current — happening now
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. key — for a lock
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. saw — the tool
  24. leaves — to go away

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