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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 party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. season — of the year
  3. foot — a measure
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. lie — to recline
  8. season — in sport
  9. current — electric
  10. kid — child
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. face — to point toward
  15. face — part of the head
  16. current — happening now
  17. kid — to tease
  18. current — of water
  19. rash — hasty
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. face — to confront
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. rash — on the skin

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