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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. hand — in cards
  3. current — electric
  4. bulb — for light
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. current — of water
  7. current — happening now
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. press — newspapers
  14. suit — to fit
  15. hand — help
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. press — to push
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. bulb — for light
  20. mine — for digging
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. suit — in cards
  24. press — a publisher

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