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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 116 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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. suit — to fit
  3. rash — hasty
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. row — a line
  6. current — happening now
  7. cue — a hint
  8. suit — in cards
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. cue — a signal
  12. content — the amount
  13. rock — music
  14. cue — for pool
  15. row — to paddle
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. content — happy
  20. rash — a series
  21. suit — clothes
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. current — of water
  24. rock — a stone

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