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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. march — music
  4. current — electric
  5. current — of water
  6. bulb — for light
  7. current — happening now
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. last — finally
  11. last — to go on
  12. suit — to fit
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. suit — in cards
  18. band — a music group
  19. band — a ring
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. march — the month
  23. last — final
  24. march — the month

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