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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. bound — tied together
  3. current — happening now
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. degree — temperature
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bound — certain
  11. rush — hurry
  12. degree — from a university
  13. bound — obliged
  14. bulb — for light
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. current — electric
  22. current — of water
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. degree — an amount

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