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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 120 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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. current — electric
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. foot — a measure
  6. fine — all right
  7. present — the time now
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. present — a gift
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. current — happening now
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. content — the amount
  14. current — of water
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. content — happy
  23. chair — a leader
  24. fine — high quality

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