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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. file — a document
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. snap — to click
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. rash — hasty
  8. staff — employees
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. current — happening now
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. file — a line of people
  16. staff — a stick
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. staff — employees
  19. file — a tool
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. current — electric
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. rash — a series
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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