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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. mark — a trace
  3. net — after costs
  4. ground — crushed
  5. cue — for pool
  6. cue — a hint
  7. cap — of ice
  8. cap — a hat
  9. pop — soda
  10. bulb — for light
  11. cue — a signal
  12. current — happening now
  13. ground — the earth
  14. mark — a grade
  15. current — electric
  16. pop — music
  17. ground — a position
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. net — in sport
  20. cap — a lid
  21. bulb — for light
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. net — for catching
  24. pop — to visit

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