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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 polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. bore — to tire
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. current — happening now
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. rest — a break
  9. cap — a hat
  10. rest — what's left
  11. cap — a lid
  12. rule — government
  13. current — of water
  14. bass — the fish
  15. rule — a law
  16. game — a match
  17. game — wild animals
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. pass — a permit
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. current — electric
  22. bass — low music
  23. bore — to drill
  24. rest — what's left

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