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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 116 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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. mark — a trace
  4. current — happening now
  5. current — of water
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. squash — the sport
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. squash — to crush
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. rock — a stone
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. rock — music
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. mark — a grade
  21. sharp — clever
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. wave — of the sea

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