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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. current — electric
  4. pop — music
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. current — of water
  7. pit — a hole
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. season — in sport
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. current — happening now
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. pop — to visit
  17. pit — in a race
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. pop — soda
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. saw — the tool
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. saw — the tool

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