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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 120 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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. bound — certain
  3. current — electric
  4. can — to be able to
  5. current — of water
  6. file — a document
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. bound — tied together
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. rule — government
  12. file — a line of people
  13. stock — shares
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. can — a tin
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. rule — a law
  19. file — a tool
  20. current — happening now
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. can — a tin
  23. bound — obliged
  24. stock — goods

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