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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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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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. current — of water
  4. current — electric
  5. pit — a hole
  6. fall — the season
  7. drill — a practice
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. pop — soda
  10. suit — in cards
  11. pop — music
  12. current — happening now
  13. pit — in a race
  14. fall — to drop
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. pop — to visit
  17. drill — the tool
  18. bulb — for light
  19. suit — to fit
  20. fall — to drop
  21. bulb — for light
  22. suit — clothes
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. drill — army training

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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