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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. pit — a hole
  3. pop — to visit
  4. pit — in a race
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. current — of water
  7. row — to paddle
  8. wound — an injury
  9. suit — to fit
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. row — a line
  12. pop — soda
  13. suit — clothes
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. suit — in cards
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. toast — bread
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. wound — an injury
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. current — electric
  23. current — happening now
  24. toast — the most admired

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