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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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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: leaves · file · lie · can · current · bark · game · mug

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. mug — a face
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. lie — to recline
  5. current — happening now
  6. current — of water
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. game — a match
  9. file — a document
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. current — electric
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. file — a tool
  14. can — a tin
  15. game — wild animals
  16. can — a tin
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. bark — to shout
  20. mug — a cup
  21. file — a line of people
  22. can — to be able to
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. mug — to rob

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