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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 ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. current — happening now
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. fine — high quality
  5. suit — to fit
  6. bulb — for light
  7. net — after costs
  8. lean — thin
  9. current — of water
  10. fine — all right
  11. mine — for digging
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. current — electric
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. net — for catching
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. bulb — for light
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. suit — clothes
  21. net — in sport
  22. suit — in cards
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. lean — to bend

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