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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. rash — a series
  3. bass — the fish
  4. object — a thing
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. wake — a trail
  7. rule — government
  8. object — an aim
  9. race — humankind
  10. rash — hasty
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. race — the arms race
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. bore — to tire
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. bass — low music
  17. bore — to drill
  18. current — of water
  19. current — happening now
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. rule — a law
  22. object — to protest
  23. race — a contest
  24. bore — gave birth

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