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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 124 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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. cap — a lid
  5. present — there
  6. current — of water
  7. suit — in cards
  8. current — happening now
  9. spell — magic
  10. cap — a hat
  11. dip — to sink
  12. suit — clothes
  13. present — a gift
  14. march — music
  15. spell — letters
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. present — the time now
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. march — the month
  20. march — the month
  21. suit — to fit
  22. spell — a short time
  23. cap — of ice
  24. hide — to keep secret

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