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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. current — of water
  3. ball — a dance
  4. ball — a great time
  5. net — in sport
  6. suit — in cards
  7. date — the fruit
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. suit — to fit
  10. key — for a lock
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. row — a line
  13. key — the most important part
  14. current — happening now
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. current — electric
  17. net — after costs
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. pit — a hole
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. row — to paddle
  22. net — for catching
  23. key — in music
  24. pit — in a race

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