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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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. current — of water
  3. current — happening now
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. can — to be able to
  7. cell — in biology
  8. cap — a lid
  9. current — electric
  10. pitch — completely
  11. can — a tin
  12. cap — a hat
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. ball — a dance
  15. can — a tin
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. saw — the tool
  18. net — in sport
  19. ball — a great time
  20. net — after costs
  21. saw — the tool
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. cell — a phone
  24. net — for catching

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