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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. rush — hurry
  3. current — happening now
  4. scale — size or range
  5. file — a tool
  6. file — a line of people
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. rock — music
  11. current — electric
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. rock — a stone
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. current — of water
  17. file — a document
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. scale — in music
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. bulb — for light
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. dip — to sink
  24. bulb — for light

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