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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 116 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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. charge — in control
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. spring — the season
  7. current — electric
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. charge — a price
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. mug — to rob
  12. spring — a coil
  13. current — of water
  14. ground — crushed
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. ground — the earth
  17. spring — of water
  18. current — happening now
  19. charge — electricity
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. mug — a face
  23. mug — a cup
  24. wave — of the sea

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