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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. saw — the tool
  3. rush — hurry
  4. present — a gift
  5. file — a document
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. file — a tool
  8. clip — a video
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. suit — to fit
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. present — the time now
  13. current — of water
  14. file — a line of people
  15. clip — for paper
  16. lie — to recline
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. current — happening now
  19. suit — clothes
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. present — there
  22. suit — in cards
  23. clip — to cut
  24. saw — the tool

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