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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. rush — hurry
  3. tear — to rip
  4. can — to be able to
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. can — a tin
  7. can — a tin
  8. current — of water
  9. last — to go on
  10. clip — to cut
  11. club — a group
  12. tear — from crying
  13. last — finally
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. clip — a video
  16. current — happening now
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. club — for golf
  19. clip — for paper
  20. tear — from crying
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. club — for dancing
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. last — final

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