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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. current — of water
  3. perch — the fish
  4. cap — of ice
  5. lean — to bend
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. current — electric
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. lean — thin
  16. kick — in football
  17. plane — a tool
  18. wake — a trail
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. cap — a hat
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. cap — a lid
  24. pass — a permit

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