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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. file — a tool
  3. file — a line of people
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. current — electric
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. file — a document
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. current — happening now
  15. cell — in biology
  16. fork — in a road
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. mug — a face
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. mug — to rob
  21. current — of water
  22. cell — a phone
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. mug — a cup

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