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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. current — electric
  3. mug — to rob
  4. can — to be able to
  5. file — a tool
  6. spell — magic
  7. can — a tin
  8. current — happening now
  9. rock — a stone
  10. pop — soda
  11. mug — a cup
  12. file — a line of people
  13. file — a document
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. spell — a short time
  17. pop — music
  18. wind — moving air
  19. can — a tin
  20. current — of water
  21. pop — to visit
  22. rock — music
  23. spell — letters
  24. mug — a face

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