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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. current — electric
  4. race — the arms race
  5. cap — a lid
  6. cap — of ice
  7. lie — to recline
  8. row — to paddle
  9. race — humankind
  10. content — the amount
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. current — of water
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. suit — clothes
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. suit — in cards
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. cap — a hat
  21. content — happy
  22. race — a contest
  23. current — happening now
  24. row — a line

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