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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. drill — the tool
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. mug — a cup
  5. can — to be able to
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. bear — the animal
  9. mug — a face
  10. can — a tin
  11. drill — army training
  12. mug — to rob
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. fork — in a road
  15. can — a tin
  16. file — a line of people
  17. drill — a practice
  18. file — a document
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. bear — the animal
  21. current — of water
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. file — a tool
  24. current — happening now

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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