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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. capital — a city
  3. rule — government
  4. current — of water
  5. pound — a weight
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. current — happening now
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. scale — size or range
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. scale — in music
  14. capital — money
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. rule — a law
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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