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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. rash — a series
  3. current — happening now
  4. current — electric
  5. rash — hasty
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. shower — rain
  8. rest — what's left
  9. craft — a skill
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. shower — to wash
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. current — of water
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. craft — boats
  19. stand — to bear
  20. rest — what's left
  21. rest — a break
  22. pound — a weight
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. pound — to hit hard

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