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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. The water is too ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. mug — a face
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. wind — moving air
  6. wind — moving air
  7. current — electric
  8. cold — an illness
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. pass — a permit
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. current — of water
  14. club — a group
  15. club — for golf
  16. club — for dancing
  17. current — happening now
  18. cold — the Cold War
  19. vault — a safe
  20. mug — a cup
  21. cold — not warm
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. mug — to rob
  24. deal — to handle

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