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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. mark — a trace
  3. current — electric
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. wake — a trail
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. rush — hurry
  8. pit — in a race
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. deal — to handle
  11. pit — a hole
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. cap — a lid
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. cap — a hat
  20. lie — to recline
  21. current — of water
  22. cap — of ice
  23. mark — a grade
  24. current — happening now

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