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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. tear — to rip
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. fine — high quality
  5. current — electric
  6. tear — from crying
  7. spell — magic
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. tear — from crying
  12. race — humankind
  13. current — of water
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. race — a contest
  18. spell — letters
  19. current — happening now
  20. fine — all right
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. race — the arms race

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