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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. kid — to tease
  4. kid — child
  5. band — a ring
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. suit — in cards
  8. suit — clothes
  9. current — electric
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. current — of water
  12. suit — to fit
  13. fine — all right
  14. band — a music group
  15. kick — in football
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. fine — high quality
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. wake — a trail
  22. rush — hurry
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. kick — with a leg

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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