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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. can — to be able to
  3. current — happening now
  4. current — of water
  5. capital — money
  6. can — a tin
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. bound — tied together
  9. rush — hurry
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. pass — a permit
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. suit — clothes
  14. drill — the tool
  15. can — a tin
  16. suit — to fit
  17. drill — army training
  18. capital — a city
  19. drill — a practice
  20. bound — certain
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. current — electric
  24. bound — obliged

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