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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. current — happening now
  4. fine — all right
  5. bat — the animal
  6. suit — to fit
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. season — in sport
  10. object — to protest
  11. track — to keep track
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. track — a song
  14. season — of the year
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. current — of water
  17. object — a thing
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. fine — high quality
  20. suit — clothes
  21. object — an aim
  22. suit — in cards
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. track — a path

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