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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. current — electric
  3. can — a tin
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. squash — to crush
  6. can — a tin
  7. prune — to trim
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. current — of water
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. suit — in cards
  15. suit — to fit
  16. suit — clothes
  17. squash — the sport
  18. can — to be able to
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. prune — to trim
  22. wound — an injury
  23. wound — an injury
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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