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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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. suit — clothes
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. current — electric
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. suit — in cards
  9. file — a line of people
  10. current — happening now
  11. drill — the tool
  12. rest — a break
  13. cap — of ice
  14. rest — what's left
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. current — of water
  17. snap — to click
  18. suit — to fit
  19. file — a document
  20. file — a tool
  21. cap — a hat
  22. rest — what's left
  23. drill — a practice
  24. cap — a lid

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