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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  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. fine — all right
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. pit — in a race
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. rock — music
  8. bass — low music
  9. current — electric
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. cap — a lid
  12. chair — a leader
  13. cap — of ice
  14. toast — bread
  15. pit — a hole
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. current — of water
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. rock — a stone
  21. cap — a hat
  22. current — happening now
  23. bass — the fish
  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