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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. rest — what's left
  3. rest — what's left
  4. net — in sport
  5. mug — to rob
  6. current — electric
  7. suit — in cards
  8. current — happening now
  9. mug — a face
  10. rest — a break
  11. present — a gift
  12. present — the time now
  13. net — after costs
  14. suit — to fit
  15. stem — to come from
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. present — there
  18. key — in music
  19. suit — clothes
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. key — the most important part
  22. key — for a lock
  23. net — for catching
  24. mug — a cup

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