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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 116 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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. bound — obliged
  3. current — electric
  4. race — a contest
  5. current — of water
  6. wind — moving air
  7. bound — certain
  8. mark — a grade
  9. mark — a trace
  10. race — humankind
  11. bound — tied together
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. kick — in football
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. wind — moving air
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. race — the arms race
  20. current — happening now
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. cabinet — ministers

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