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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. file — a line of people
  3. wake — a trail
  4. bass — the fish
  5. file — a document
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. bass — low music
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. cap — of ice
  10. cap — a lid
  11. cap — a hat
  12. current — electric
  13. capital — money
  14. file — a tool
  15. firm — a company
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. current — of water
  18. current — happening now
  19. bulb — for light
  20. capital — a city
  21. firm — decided
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. firm — steady
  24. capital — a big letter

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