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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. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. mug — a cup
  4. perch — the fish
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. saw — the tool
  10. current — happening now
  11. mug — to rob
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. fine — all right
  17. fine — high quality
  18. snap — to click
  19. saw — the tool
  20. mug — a face
  21. kick — in football
  22. current — of water
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. cabinet — ministers

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