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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. cap — a hat
  5. current — of water
  6. cap — a lid
  7. stand — to bear
  8. current — happening now
  9. rush — hurry
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. rash — a series
  12. cap — of ice
  13. date — the fruit
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. rash — hasty
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. saw — the tool
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. saw — the tool
  24. stand — on your feet

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