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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. rule — a law
  3. current — of water
  4. rule — government
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. file — a document
  7. current — electric
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. suit — clothes
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. tube — a container
  13. can — a tin
  14. suit — in cards
  15. file — a tool
  16. tube — the underground
  17. suit — to fit
  18. file — a line of people
  19. current — happening now
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. wax — to grow
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. can — a tin

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