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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. current — electric
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. rule — a law
  5. suit — clothes
  6. tube — the underground
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. suit — to fit
  9. current — of water
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. game — wild animals
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. bulb — for light
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. current — happening now
  19. bulb — for light
  20. game — a match
  21. snap — to click
  22. tube — a container
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. rule — government

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