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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. bank — of a river
  3. face — part of the head
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. object — an aim
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. fork — in a road
  8. bank — for money
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. bank — for money
  11. object — to protest
  12. current — of water
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. face — to point toward
  15. current — electric
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. lie — to recline
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. rush — hurry
  20. object — a thing
  21. current — happening now
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. face — to confront

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