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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. suit — clothes
  3. cap — a hat
  4. firm — decided
  5. current — electric
  6. mug — a face
  7. cap — a lid
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. mug — to rob
  10. root — of a word
  11. mug — a cup
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. current — of water
  14. firm — steady
  15. root — the cause
  16. fall — the season
  17. suit — to fit
  18. suit — in cards
  19. fall — to drop
  20. current — happening now
  21. firm — a company
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. root — of a plant
  24. cap — of ice

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