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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. cap — a lid
  3. cap — of ice
  4. cap — a hat
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. current — happening now
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. pass — a permit
  10. stem — to come from
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. fall — to drop
  14. craft — a skill
  15. craft — boats
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. fall — to drop
  22. current — electric
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. fall — the season

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