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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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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: bay · jam · kid · nail · cabinet · rule · rush · current

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. rush — hurry
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. kid — child
  6. rule — government
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. current — electric
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. current — happening now
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. rule — a law
  19. current — of water
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. kid — to tease
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. cabinet — ministers

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