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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. can — a tin
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. suit — to fit
  6. net — for catching
  7. pitch — completely
  8. foot — a measure
  9. ground — the earth
  10. net — in sport
  11. ground — a position
  12. shower — to wash
  13. shower — rain
  14. current — happening now
  15. current — of water
  16. ground — crushed
  17. suit — in cards
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. can — a tin
  20. suit — clothes
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. can — to be able to
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. net — after costs

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