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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. spell — a short time
  3. spell — letters
  4. pop — to visit
  5. current — electric
  6. spell — magic
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. pop — music
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. current — happening now
  12. chest — a box
  13. current — of water
  14. chest — of your body
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. pop — soda
  17. can — a tin
  18. can — a tin
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. chest — of your body
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. can — to be able to
  23. scale — size or range
  24. pitcher — a jug

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