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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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. suit — in cards
  4. current — electric
  5. last — finally
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. object — a thing
  8. rule — a law
  9. wake — a trail
  10. suit — clothes
  11. mug — a cup
  12. last — to go on
  13. last — final
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. object — an aim
  16. current — happening now
  17. squash — the sport
  18. current — of water
  19. mug — to rob
  20. object — to protest
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. squash — to crush
  23. rule — government
  24. mug — a face

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