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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. can — a tin
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. kid — to tease
  5. stand — to bear
  6. can — a tin
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. can — to be able to
  9. row — to paddle
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. season — of the year
  12. current — happening now
  13. kid — child
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. row — a line
  17. season — in sport
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. lie — to recline
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. current — electric
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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