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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. current — of water
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. cap — a hat
  5. rest — what's left
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. current — happening now
  9. wake — a trail
  10. saw — the tool
  11. rest — a break
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. cap — a lid
  14. saw — the tool
  15. stock — goods
  16. rest — what's left
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. dip — to sink
  21. cap — of ice
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. stock — shares
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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