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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. The water is too ________________.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. rest — what's left
  3. cold — the Cold War
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. lean — to bend
  6. rest — what's left
  7. rock — a stone
  8. can — a tin
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. current — of water
  11. rock — music
  12. current — happening now
  13. rest — a break
  14. lean — thin
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. cold — not warm
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. can — to be able to
  22. can — a tin
  23. cold — an illness
  24. pound — a weight

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