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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: current · chip · leaves · tear · suit · rest · lie · sharp

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. rest — a break
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. chip — to eat
  5. rest — what's left
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. current — electric
  8. current — happening now
  9. suit — in cards
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. tear — from crying
  12. current — of water
  13. rest — what's left
  14. suit — to fit
  15. sharp — clever
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. tear — from crying
  19. tear — to rip
  20. chip — for betting
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. suit — clothes
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. lie — to recline

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