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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 120 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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. pit — in a race
  3. pit — a hole
  4. track — a song
  5. current — of water
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. face — to point toward
  9. wind — moving air
  10. bark — to shout
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. face — to confront
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. stand — to bear
  16. current — electric
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. track — a path
  20. wind — moving air
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. track — to keep track
  24. face — part of the head

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