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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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. pass — a permit
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. scale — in music
  5. current — electric
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. file — a line of people
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. current — happening now
  12. file — a tool
  13. scale — size or range
  14. current — of water
  15. file — a document
  16. toast — bread
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. rash — a series
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. rash — hasty

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