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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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. hand — help
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. dip — to sink
  7. file — a document
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. rule — a law
  11. current — happening now
  12. hand — in cards
  13. bear — the animal
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. rule — government
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. current — of water
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. bear — the animal
  21. file — a line of people
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. current — electric

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