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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 120 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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. mark — a grade
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. ball — a dance
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. file — a document
  7. mark — a trace
  8. fall — to drop
  9. ball — a great time
  10. file — a tool
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. kick — in football
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. lean — thin
  16. fall — to drop
  17. file — a line of people
  18. lean — to bend
  19. current — happening now
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. fall — the season
  22. stand — to bear
  23. current — of water
  24. lean — to rest against

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