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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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. mug — a cup
  4. current — electric
  5. can — a tin
  6. rest — what's left
  7. march — the month
  8. current — of water
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. bear — the animal
  11. rest — a break
  12. land — ground
  13. current — happening now
  14. bear — the animal
  15. land — a country
  16. mug — a face
  17. march — the month
  18. can — to be able to
  19. rest — what's left
  20. can — a tin
  21. mug — to rob
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. march — music

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