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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. bulb — for light
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. tear — from crying
  7. drill — a practice
  8. saw — the tool
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. saw — the tool
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. drill — army training
  13. toast — bread
  14. current — happening now
  15. tear — to rip
  16. bulb — for light
  17. current — of water
  18. drill — the tool
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. tear — from crying
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. patient — a sick person

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