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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. bulb — for light
  3. sharp — clever
  4. current — happening now
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. can — to be able to
  8. net — for catching
  9. rule — a law
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. net — in sport
  13. rule — government
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. bulb — for light
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. net — after costs
  19. current — electric
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. can — a tin
  24. can — a tin

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