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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. race — the arms race
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. last — finally
  9. race — humankind
  10. race — a contest
  11. perch — the fish
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. mark — a grade
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. deal — to handle
  17. current — happening now
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. last — final
  20. current — electric
  21. last — to go on
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. mark — a trace
  24. perch — for a bird

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