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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. current — electric
  3. drill — a practice
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. plane — a tool
  8. chest — a box
  9. rule — government
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. rule — a law
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. roll — a list
  17. drill — army training
  18. chest — of your body
  19. chest — of your body
  20. current — of water
  21. lie — to recline
  22. roll — a cake
  23. drill — the tool
  24. stand — to bear

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