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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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. current — electric
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. suit — in cards
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. perch — the fish
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. current — of water
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. ground — a position
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. current — happening now
  14. spell — a short time
  15. bass — low music
  16. spell — magic
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. spell — letters
  19. ground — the earth
  20. suit — to fit
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. ground — crushed
  23. lie — to recline
  24. suit — clothes

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