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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. row — a line
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. bass — low music
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. bass — the fish
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. deal — to handle
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. current — of water
  18. row — to paddle
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. current — happening now
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. current — electric

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