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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 120 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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. mate — a friend
  4. current — happening now
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. rush — hurry
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. deal — to handle
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. mate — a partner
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. current — electric
  13. board — to get on
  14. board — a committee
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. pit — in a race
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. current — of water
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. mate — to breed
  24. pit — a hole

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