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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. can — a tin
  3. object — a thing
  4. fall — to drop
  5. tube — the underground
  6. tube — a container
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. can — a tin
  9. object — to protest
  10. fall — to drop
  11. hand — help
  12. current — happening now
  13. pop — soda
  14. can — to be able to
  15. mug — a cup
  16. current — electric
  17. mug — to rob
  18. object — an aim
  19. fall — the season
  20. hand — in cards
  21. mug — a face
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. pop — to visit
  24. pop — music

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