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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. rash — hasty
  3. rash — a series
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. saw — the tool
  6. current — happening now
  7. mug — to rob
  8. can — a tin
  9. mug — a face
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. bass — the fish
  12. saw — the tool
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. can — a tin
  15. bat — the animal
  16. bass — low music
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. object — an aim
  19. mug — a cup
  20. object — a thing
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. current — electric
  23. object — to protest
  24. can — to be able to

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