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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 124 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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. rush — hurry
  3. stand — to bear
  4. object — an aim
  5. file — a tool
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. sharp — clever
  9. object — to protest
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. file — a line of people
  12. mark — a grade
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. content — the amount
  15. current — of water
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. object — a thing
  18. file — a document
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. current — happening now
  21. mark — a trace
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. content — happy
  24. rush — a thrill

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