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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. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. current — electric
  3. current — of water
  4. march — music
  5. net — in sport
  6. chest — of your body
  7. net — for catching
  8. staff — employees
  9. march — the month
  10. current — happening now
  11. race — a contest
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. march — the month
  14. can — a tin
  15. net — after costs
  16. rash — a series
  17. chest — of your body
  18. race — the arms race
  19. staff — a stick
  20. rash — hasty
  21. can — to be able to
  22. can — a tin
  23. staff — employees
  24. race — humankind

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