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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. shower — rain
  3. current — happening now
  4. shower — to wash
  5. clip — for paper
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. current — of water
  8. suit — to fit
  9. firm — decided
  10. suit — in cards
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. clip — a video
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. current — electric
  15. rule — government
  16. firm — steady
  17. saw — the tool
  18. bear — the animal
  19. firm — a company
  20. bear — the animal
  21. saw — the tool
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. rule — a law
  24. clip — to cut

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