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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. pop — soda
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. season — in sport
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. snap — to click
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. pop — music
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. season — of the year
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. current — happening now
  20. pop — to visit
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. current — of water
  24. bowl — to roll

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