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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. lean — thin
  4. capital — a city
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. current — happening now
  8. present — a gift
  9. firm — decided
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. mug — a cup
  12. current — of water
  13. lean — to bend
  14. firm — steady
  15. firm — a company
  16. mug — to rob
  17. present — there
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. present — the time now
  21. mug — a face
  22. cell — a phone
  23. cell — in biology
  24. capital — money

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