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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. ground — crushed
  3. can — to be able to
  4. saw — the tool
  5. saw — the tool
  6. can — a tin
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. current — electric
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. tear — from crying
  11. prune — to trim
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. tear — to rip
  14. can — a tin
  15. suit — to fit
  16. suit — clothes
  17. current — happening now
  18. tear — from crying
  19. rock — music
  20. rock — a stone
  21. prune — to trim
  22. ground — a position
  23. ground — the earth
  24. suit — in cards

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