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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: can · current · wound · cabinet · cold · bore · pass · rush

  1. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. wound — an injury
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. can — a tin
  6. cold — not warm
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. current — happening now
  10. current — of water
  11. rush — hurry
  12. can — to be able to
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. cold — an illness
  15. bore — to tire
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. wound — an injury
  19. bore — to drill
  20. pass — a permit
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. can — a tin
  24. current — electric

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