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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. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. mark — a trace
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. scale — size or range
  5. current — of water
  6. suit — clothes
  7. rule — a law
  8. rule — government
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. ground — a position
  11. wind — moving air
  12. current — electric
  13. mark — a grade
  14. net — in sport
  15. ground — crushed
  16. suit — in cards
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. net — for catching
  19. suit — to fit
  20. ground — the earth
  21. net — after costs
  22. scale — in music
  23. current — happening now
  24. rule — to rule out

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